Dow Jones History: Top Highs and Lows Since 1929

Dow Jones History: Top Highs and Lows Since 1929

The precious metal had risen above $3,400 at the start of last week amid geopolitical uncertainty. Markets view that as a signal that early US rate cuts have become more likely, given Trump has criticized the Fed chair for not lowering borrowing costs. Rate cut bets have also intensified as the labor market shows continued signs of weakness. President Trump appeared to get closer to naming his replacement for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Trump’s frustration with Powell’s “wait and see” approach to interest rates has led him to consider announcing his pick to succeed the Fed chair in September or October, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Treasury yields drop to lowest level in 2 months before Powell speaks

While the relative strength index entered overbought territory on Friday, the indicator remains well below last year’s July peak following a bullish six-week run, indicating the index has sufficient room to move higher. In a note to clients, Bank of America pointed out that the results were better than most investors expected, adding that Goldman Sachs had the biggest year-over-year improvement. With Monday’s gains, Oracle shave have added roughly a third of their value in 2025 so far. IonQ CEO Niccolo de Masi said that the company “is excited to collaborate with Texas leaders, universities, and industry to help catalyze a new era of quantum-powered solutions.” Called the Texas Quantum Initiative, the legislation calls for the state to “develop a comprehensive strategic plan to advance quantum computing, networking, and sensing technologies in Texas.” The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 0.42 points, or less than 0.1%, to 2,172.53.

The Recession of 2008–2009

Gold Funded offers a single-phase challenge with no time limits, providing traders the flexibility to achieve their trading objectives at their own pace. Find out about the record-breaking highs of the DJIA and the events behind its growth. When a company undergoes significant changes, such as a merger, acquisition, or substantial shifts in its business model, or when there’s a need to better represent the current state of the economic sectors, adjustments are made. These changes are not done often to ensure the index’s stability and continuity. The recession from 1973 to 1975 also led to a falloff for the Dow, which dropped 45% from its 1,051 peak in 1973 to just under 600 in 1974 (about 7,486 and 3,871 points, respectively, inflation-adjusted). Investors should watch key overhead areas on Apple’s chart around $214 and $235, while also monitoring support levels near $193 and $180.

Robinhood Jumps as Investors Bet It Could Join S&P 500

In addition, Centene announced that it was refiling its 2026 rates “to reflect a higher projected baseline of Marketplace morbidity than previously expected.” Shares of Microsoft were down slightly in afternoon trading Wednesday. The tech titan plans to slash its headcount by nearly 4%, Microsoft confirmed to Investopedia Wednesday. The cuts could impact an estimated 9,000 workers, and primarily affect sales teams, according to reporting from Bloomberg. But international, Big Tech, and AI stocks could continue to outperform as investors increase exposure to corners of the market seen as relatively undervalued or fast-growing and well-capitalized.

• IonQ shares have spent most of the year in negative territory, but following their 7% gain today they’ve moved slightly into the green for 2025.
• Wall Street is waiting to see how trade talks between the European Union and Canada go, in addition to other key partners.
• While only thirty stocks are included, together they paint a picture about the health of the economy in the United States.
• The Dow remains 1.2% away from setting its first record high since December.

Latest job openings data shows ‘little sign’ of labor market weakness

The highest the Dow has ever been is a testament to the resilience and growth potential of the stock market. As investors, it is important to keep in mind that market highs and lows are part of the natural cycle. While it is intriguing to track the Dow’s progress and celebrate new milestones, it is crucial to maintain a long-term perspective and focus on sound investment strategies rather than chasing short-term market trends.

First, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine saw gas prices spike sharply. At the same time, the strength in the U.S. labor market meant extremely competitive wages driving consumer demand. Both of those factors sent inflation in the U.S. soaring to record levels not seen in over 40 years. As a result, the Federal Reserve (Fed) began raising interest rates in March 2022 to slow the economy down and arrest the pace of price rise.While inflation persisted, Fed’s aggressive rate hikes stoked fears of a recession. Conversely, an encouraging drop in inflation reported earlier this week helped to fuel this latest rally. Consumer prices rose 3.4% from last April – a decline from March’s 3.5% annual increase.

And de-escalation with China boosted optimism that tariff rates will ultimately settle below their “Liberation Day” levels. Despite mounting fears of a growth slowdown and resurgent inflation, data throughout the second quarter suggested the labor market was resilient and tariffs were having only a modest impact on inflation. When the economy is thriving, companies tend to perform well, leading to higher stock prices and, ultimately, an increase in the Dow.

The breakdown of job growth showed a less rosy picture, with the private sector showing signs of weakness, according to Jim Baird, chief investment officer at Plante Moran Financial Advisors. When anyone reports the value of the Dow, they just state the price, but that is not fair. It isn’t exactly representative of the whole of the economy the way it once was.

• The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were up 1.7% and 1.6% week to date, respectively, while the Dow posted a 2.3% gain for the period.
• The most recent record closing occurred on Jan. 4, when the index closed at 36,799.65, blowing past the all-time high closing of 36,585.06 it had just a day before.
• In a note to clients, Bank of America pointed out that the results were better than most investors expected, adding that Goldman Sachs had the biggest year-over-year improvement.
• Thursday was a shortened trading session, with the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq closing at 1 p.m.

D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria told Investopedia last month that for every year Microsoft continues to invest at current levels, the company could be pushed to eliminate roughly 10,000 positions or allow them to go unfilled. Coming into Wednesday’s session, $11.50 was a major resistance level. With the stock surpassing that mark, investors should watch overhead levels on Ford’s chart around $13 and $13.60, while also monitoring a crucial support level near $10.30. After reclaiming the 200-day moving average in mid-May, Ford shares consolidated within an ascending triangle, a chart pattern that signals a continuation of the stock’s recent uptrend. Shares of Robinhood shares soared to an all-time high Wednesday, hitting the $100 mark for the first time and closing up some 6% at about $98. The gains come after President Donald Trump posted on social media Wednesday that Vietnam agreed to pay a 20% tariff on goods shipped to the U.S. and 40% on items that are shipped from other countries to Vietnam, and then sent to the U.S.

When major corporations start to lose money across the 12trader forex broker review board, being more conservative as an investor is not a bad strategy. This percentage represents how the Dow has changed since market open. The Dow fell 17% in three months, from 2,864.60 on Aug. 2 to 2,365.10 on Oct. 11, 1990. Kimberly Amadeo has 20 years of experience in economic analysis and business strategy.

Record Highs Set in 2018

U.S. stocks rose on Thursday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite hitting fresh record highs, after a better-than-expected jobs report fueled optimism the U.S. economy was hanging tough despite fast-changing trade policy and geopolitics. As investors, we are always curious about the highest points the market has ever reached. When it comes to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), there have been several significant milestones throughout history. The DJIA, often referred to simply as the Dow, is one of the most widely recognized stock market indices in the world.

By the end of 2023, the previous high, registered in January 2022, had been surpassed, and the 37,000 mark had been breached. Investors were also keeping close tabs on developments in Washington D.C. As the House of Representatives voted on the massive tax and spending bill that was narrowly approved in the Senate yesterday. Trade talks were also in focus ahead of the July 9 deadline that President Donald Trump has set for huge tariffs to be re-imposed if the U.S. hasn’t reached agreements with leading trade partners.