The NASDAQ 100 is an index of 100 companies traded on the NASDAQ exchange that are considered representative of the exchange as a whole, including domestic and international companies. The following chart illustrates recent performance of the NASDAQ 100 ("NASDAQ 100," 2005):
The S&P 500 is a composite index compiled by a private company that tracks stocks from both the New York Stock Exchange as well as the NASDAQ. The historical performance of the S&P 500 is illustrated below ("S & P 500 Index," 2005):
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is composed of 30 companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange. This is a weighted composite average similar to the S&P 500, but with a much smaller sampling ("Dow Jones Industrial Average," 2005):
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) was initiated in 1919 as a way to calculate how much prices increased in order to assist in adjusting cost of living indices and adjustments in wages. It has been revised and refined to include different weights for different types of data ("Consumer Price Index," 1):
The gross domestic product is the aggregate value of goods and services produced in the nation. It is compiled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The following chart illustrates recent GDP levels in current dollars ("Gross Domestic," 2005):
The Census Bureau collects unemployment data on behalf of the Bureau of Labor Statistics by surveying 60,000 households and considering the employment status of civilians aged 16 and older. The following chart illustrates the unemployment rate from 1990 รป 2004 ("Current Population Survey," 1):
Consumer price index. (2005). Washington, DC: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 29 Apr 2005 from: < ...