Dow gains nearly 500 points and makes history
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Stock market today: Dow, small caps, oil move higher; defense firms gain as Valero clears base (live coverage)
The Dow Jones index dropped Thursday after surprise jobless claims. Apple and Tesla stock extended their losses.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average got its first all-time high of 2026—but fell just short of closing above 49000 for the first time. The index was up as much as 1.7% in midday trading, then faded a bit to end the day at 48977.
Monday’s gains put the Dow in the lead among major U.S. equity benchmarks, with the index advancing 1.5% on the session. Among individual components, several key names contributed notably to the rally including shares of Chevron ( CVX) which have gained more than 5%.
U.S. initial jobless claims increased by 8,000 from the previous week to 208,000 in the week ending Jan. 3, compared to market expectations of 210,000. Equities Trading UP. Flyexc
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is off to a strong start in 2026. With the index trading higher today, it's currently on pace for its best three-day start to the year in over a decade. Right now, the Dow is up about 2.
The strong ISM Services PMI report provided additional support to stocks.
The CNN Money Fear and Greed index declined to 46.6, remaining in the Neutral zone. Dow Jones fell 450 points, while Intel gained 7% on new products at CES.
From the technical point of view, Dow Jones received support in the 48,700 – 48,800 range and rebounded towards the 49,300 level. A move above this level will push Dow Jones towards the resistance at 49,500 – 49,600. For a look at all of today’s economic events, check out our economic calendar.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit record all-time highs in 2025 with many of the components ending the year higher. Along with serving as a well-known barometer of overall market health, the index offers some of the top yielding blue-chip stocks.
Investor's Business Daily on MSN
Stock market today: Dow slides, yields fall as key jobs report looms; Intel races higher (live coverage)
The S&P 500 was at risk of losing its morning's gains as it wavered around break-even levels. Among the S&P 500's 11 sectors, communication services led with a 1% rise and health gained 0.6%, with consumer discretionary and technology also among advancers. Utilities and materials paced losing groups as they fell more than 1% each.
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