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The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) debuted on May 26, 1896. The first close was at 40.94.

Over the last 110 years, the Dow is up 39,017.41%, or 5.58% a year.

Here's an odd fact: In 1939, the keepers of the index decided to kick out IBM. The company didn't return for 40 years, and it's still there today. But those were 40 amazing years for the company. If the stock had been left in the index, the Dow would be thousands of points higher today. In fact, the index would have broken 1,000 in 1961 instead of 1972.

Here's every single weekly close.

Posted by edelfenbein at May 26, 2006 6:20 AM