What is the Dow Jones Index?

11/11/11 - 11:11pm EDT

There is a group of 13 US companies controlling $2.5Trillion US Dollars.

Maybe you are someone who has never heard of the Dow Jones Industrial Index.  Or maybe you are someone who has heard the name, but you have no idea what it is or how it was started.

Usually an index for financial markets is a grouping of public companies that are tracked for daily performance.  The largest public US industrial companies are grouped as part of the Dow Jones Industrial Index.  Many international and domestic investors make daily decisions based upon the performance of these companies.

There are 30 companies of focus that make up the Dow Jones Industrial group (http://money.cnn.com/data/dow30/), but the top 13 companies seem to have had the highest impact and have the largest market capitalization:

Dow Jones 30 Companies

A few on this list are considered "Mega-Cap" companies (over $200B):

1. Exxon Mobil - http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/
2. Microsoft - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx
3. IBM - http://www.ibm.com/us/en/
4. Chevron - http://www.chevron.com/
5. Wal Mart - http://www.walmart.com/

Charles Henry Dow established the basis for technical analysis through his research of the original Dow Industrials.  His partnership with Edward Jones and Charles Bergstresser was the beginning of Dow Jones & Company.  Dow Jones owns the Wall Street Journal, Barrons Magazine, and many other news services and products.  Dow Jones makes money by selling ads, which is typically more lucrative when investors are fearful.

Dow Jones & Company was controlled for many years by the Bancroft family, notably by Mary Bancroft who was involved with the US intelligence in Switzerland during WWII.  The family's control was taken over by Rupert Murdoch and the News Corporation in 2007 that also owns the New York Post and the Fox Media Networks, among other assets. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_assets_owned_by_News_Corporation)

Trilateral Capital announced a breakout for equities on 10/18/2011 http://trilateralcapital.com/

Trust, Fear, & Innovation

As the evolved business culture, we pride ourselves on our understanding of history and the solutions we've created out of this knowledge. Most business managers have a basic understanding of macro-economics, at least those business managers that have survived the last two years. Those without the understanding of macro-economic cycles and variables that effect their business have been left with their eyes glazed in fear of the non-existence of capital solutions. Rainmakers have lost their dance moves and don't know where to go to be taught new moves.

Why is this happening? No one trusts what they fear. Lack of trust and immense fear cause the depression of innovation and entrepreneurism. Lack of trust and unhealthy fear breed a perception that categorical risk factors should be avoided altogether. From a bearish position, this is a safe move, but Bears don't create innovation.

The natural occurrence of the global business system correcting itself to become more efficient and progressive is more powerful than the human ability to attempt to tame such a life-system. Fight the natural process of business evolution and it may bury your business. Adapt with the efficiency it is creating and capitalize on its natural innovation.

Financial, Energy, & Medical sectors require innovation, not just change, but effective innovation. The entrepreneurs that choose the correct path in these and other powerful sectors shall perpetuate innovation and reap the rewards. The creation of a common ground where institutional and private cash coexist efficiently is the number one tool needed to capitalize innovation.