As the world's largest capital market, the US stock market's performance influences the nerves of global investors. However, many novice investors face a question: which index should they look at for the US stock market? In fact, unlike Taiwan's stock market, which only has the Weighted Index, the US has multiple major indices, each with its own characteristics, representing different aspects of the market.
Why does the US stock market need multiple major indices?
Before delving into the four major US indices, it's important to understand a core concept: the role of a market index is to reflect the overall market condition. However, the US stock market is large and has numerous listed companies, so a single index cannot fully capture the entire market's landscape. Therefore, different indices have emerged, each presenting the health of the US stock market from different angles.
For example, Japan uses the Nikkei Index to gauge economic conditions, Taiwan uses the Weighted Index to track trends. The US takes it a step further by establishing four of the most representative major indices, allowing for a more comprehensive view.