The Dow: A Look Back
A brief history of the Dow Jones industrial average:
May 26, 1896: Dow Jones & Co. introduces the first Dow Jones industrial average, consisting of 12 stocks. Only General Electric remains from the original dozen. Many of the names, such as American Cotton Oil and National Lead, were titans of turn-of-the-century industrial America.
Oct. 1, 1928: The Dow is expanded to 30 stocks and closes that day at 240.01.
Nov. 14, 1972: The Dow closes above 1,000 for the first time.
May 6, 1991: First change of 1990s: Caterpillar, Walt Disney and J.P. Morgan are added; Navistar, USX and Primerica are out.
Nov. 21, 1995: The Dow closes above 5,000 for the first time.
March 17, 1997: Second change of 1990s: Citigroup, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson and Wal-Mart Stores are added; Westinghouse Electric (now CBS ), Texaco, Bethlehem Steel and Woolworth (now Venator ) are out.
March 29, 1999: The Dow closes above 10,000 for the first time.
Tuesday: Dow Jones announces it will add Home Depot, Intel, Microsoft and SBC Communications, replacing Chevron, Goodyear Tire, Sears and Union Carbide .
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