LAUNCH POINT

This week’s subject: The economy

The Dow Jones industrial average, the best known index of the U.S. stock market, had its biggest one-day loss this fall. The next day, it posted its biggest gain. What does it mean? How does the stock market work? Money and finance are much more complicated than centuries ago, when people swapped gold and silver, farm animals and grains for other items they needed. To learn more about money and the economy, use the direct links on The Times’ Launch point Web site. Go to: https://www.latimes.com/launch/