One of the important gauges of the US stock market is the Dow Jones Industrial Average. DJIA is trading at 42,342.24 as its closing level on December 19, 2024, and brings in an almost negligible rise of about 0.04 percent. Essentially, even a tiny percentage point rise indicates some instability in the market; however, some stocks are trading high as a part of DJIA. Some of the most popular key stocks that the investor may opt for if they desire to trade according to the current market of the day.
Some stocks in DJIA, which may be paid attention to, and their significant movements as well as performance in the market are provided below.
1. Boeing Co. (BA)
- Current Price: $177.04
- Change: +2.56%
One of the world’s largest aerospace companies demonstrates upward movement. The firm’s stock jumped 2.56% last December 19, largely due to investors who have been gaining in optimism that it would once again regain its previous form. Boeing has not yet regained its footing as far as dealing with the effects of the pandemic is concerned but is getting more orders from airlines and even governments. Moreover, gains in production are helping attract investors and improve aircraft delivery.
2. American Express Co. (AXP)
- Current Price: $293.08
- Change: +1.84%
On December 19, the share price of financial service issuer American Express rose by 1.84%. In this respect, the company has capitalized on growth in consumers’ spending and shifting consumers toward digital payment models. The majority of consumers have started to opt for credit cards for online as well as offline expenditures.
3. Visa Inc. (V)
- Current Price: $314.88
- Change: +1.65%
This pay processor led with a growth of 1.65% last December 19. Its steady growth in the contactless payment adoption, aside from benefiting from the more prevalent digital transaction trend, also helped bring about substantial improvements to its performance; hence, making Visa a well-deserved and reliable bet from the perspective of stability on shifting tides.
4. NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA)
- Current Price: $130.68
- Change: +1.37%
On December 19, NVIDIA gained 1.37%, which is a signal that demand for its semiconductors is increasing, particularly in the gaming, AI, and data center markets. As the world’s leading graphics processing unit producer, NVIDIA will be very well positioned to benefit from the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
5. Apple Inc. (AAPL)
- Current Price: $249.79
- Change: +0.70%
On December 19, Apple’s stock increased by 0.70%, which showed that investors were still confident despite the volatility in the market. Apple is still a leader in the tech industry, with continuous demand for its iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, and services like Apple Music and Apple TV+.
6. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK)
- Current Price: $99.52
- Change: +1.20%
Pharmaceutical and healthcare sector major Merck increased 1.20% on the stock Tuesday on Dec 19. Merck’s business is backed by the continued success of its cancer drug Keytruda, which was approved last week for another treatment.
7. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)
- Current Price: $232.96
- Change: +1.12%
Banking giant JPMorgan Chase had increased 1.12% on December 19. Given that the bank is doing pretty well in investment banking, consumer banking, and asset management, it is a highly desired company for stability in the financial sector by investors.
JPMorgan continues to ride out interest rate fluctuations and market volatility with a diversified portfolio of services. With a strong balance sheet and global market reach, JPMorgan is well-positioned to maintain its leadership in the banking sector.
8. 3M Co. (MMM)
- Current Price: $127.13
- Change: +1.27%
3M Company is one of the diversified technology and manufacturing companies whose shares went up by 1.27% in value on December 19. The foundation is laid through innovation: safety products, healthcare, and industrial solutions for various sectors of business.
The company is well aligned to exploit the growing demands from its strong product portfolio, especially concerning personal protection and medical devices. Thus investors need to watch how 3M will remain lean and innovative with respect to the supply chain productivity along with product innovation as he looks forward to market developments.
Conclusion
The DJIA still gives an idea of the well-being of the U.S. stock market, and its performance at present indicates that all sectors are growing. Amongst them, Boeing, American Express, Visa, NVIDIA, Apple, Merck, JPMorgan Chase, and 3M will do great in the days ahead.
For investors, sectors such as aerospace, technology, financial services, and healthcare are an opportunity to take advantage of growth in a changing, volatile market. Knowing where the sectors are headed, therefore, and what’s moving companies within those sectors means the investor can make much wiser decisions in the contemporary market environment.
