The Dow Jones Industrial Average, commonly referred to as the DOW, is a stock market index that tracks the performance of 30 large companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ. It is one of the most widely followed indices in the world and is often used as a barometer for the overall health of the stock market. The DOW is a key component of the larger stock market name, which includes other indices such as the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ Composite.