[Economic Indicators December, 2004]
[Page Number 31]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



 
COMMON STOCK PRICES AND YIELDS

Stock prices rose through late December.
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                                                                       Common stock prices \1\                                     Common stock yields
                                     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      (percent) \7\
                                        New York Stock Exchange indexes \2\ \3\                                       Nasdaq    ------------------------
               Period                          (December 31, 2002=5,000)            Dow Jones      Standard &       composite
                                     ---------------------------------------------  industrial  Poor's composite   index (Feb.    Dividend-    Earnings-
                                                                          Health   average \4\    index (1941-     5, 1971=100)  price ratio     price
                                      Composite  Financial    Energy       Care                    43=10) \5\          \6\                       ratio
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1994................................   2,687.02  .........  ..........  .........     3,793.77          460.42          751.65          2.82        5.83
1995................................   3,078.56  .........  ..........  .........     4,493.76          541.72          925.19          2.56        6.09
1996................................   3,787.20  .........  ..........  .........     5,742.89          670.50        1,164.96          2.19        5.24
1997................................   4,827.35  .........  ..........  .........     7,441.15          873.43        1,469.49          1.77        4.57
1998................................   5,818.26  .........  ..........  .........     8,625.52        1,085.50        1,794.91          1.49        3.46
1999................................   6,546.81  .........  ..........  .........    10,464.88        1,327.33        2,728.15          1.25        3.17
2000................................   6,805.89  .........  ..........  .........    10,734.90        1,427.22        3,783.67          1.15        3.63
2001................................   6,397.85  .........  ..........  .........    10,189.13        1,194.18        2,035.00          1.32        2.95
2002................................   5,578.89  .........  ..........  .........     9,226.43          993.94        1,539.73          1.61        2.92
2003................................   5,447.93   5,583.00    5,273.90   5,288.67     8,993.59          965.23        1,647.17          1.77        3.84
 
2003:Nov............................   5,989.42   6,282.53    5,474.84   5,521.85     9,762.20        1,049.90        1,939.25          1.69  ..........
      Dec...........................   6,244.68   6,475.68    5,973.31   5,751.14    10,124.66        1,080.64        1,956.98          1.67        4.38
 
2004:Jan............................   6,569.76   6,827.35    6,323.29   6,000.57    10,540.05        1,132.52        2,098.00          1.62  ..........
      Feb...........................   6,661.38   6,978.62    6,337.87   6,134.16    10,601.50        1,143.36        2,048.36          1.63  ..........
      Mar...........................   6,574.75   6,914.60    6,455.53   5,908.76    10,323.73        1,123.98        1,979.48          1.68        4.62
      Apr...........................   6,600.77   6,792.05    6,638.65   6,028.53    10,418.40        1,133.08        2,021.32          1.68  ..........
      May...........................   6,371.44   6,495.19    6,572.79   6,022.12    10,083.81        1,102.78        1,930.09          1.74  ..........
      June..........................   6,548.06   6,683.10    6,780.86   6,063.65    10,364.90        1,132.76        2,000.98          1.70        4.92
      July..........................   6,443.45   6,569.52    6,971.57   5,823.34    10,152.09        1,105.85        1,912.42          1.77  ..........
      Aug...........................   6,352.83   6,566.19    6,866.75   5,733.68    10,032.80        1,088.94        1,821.54          1.81  ..........
      Sept..........................   6,551.90   6,773.95    7,270.08   5,890.05    10,204.67        1,117.66        1,884.73          1.78      r 5.18
      Oct...........................   6,608.98   6,792.44    7,593.71   5,668.02    10,001.60        1,118.07        1,938.25          1.79  ..........
      Nov...........................   6,933.75   7,118.40    7,773.26   5,818.20    10,411.76        1,168.94        2,062.87          1.74  ..........
 
Week ended:
2004:Dec   4........................   7,060.54   7,246.85    7,934.16   5,872.95    10,534.29        1,185.05        2,126.69          1.72  ..........
           11.......................   7,040.78   7,261.63    7,742.45   5,918.49    10,515.58        1,185.47        2,129.82          1.73  ..........
           18.......................   7,123.35   7,326.60    7,817.62   6,032.08    10,672.36        1,201.04        2,150.45          1.72  ..........
           25.......................   7,170.73   7,397.69    7,912.01   6,010.59    10,766.01        1,204.95        2,149.10          1.71  ..........
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    \1\ Average of daily closing 
prices.
    \2\ Includes all the stocks 
(nearly 3,000) listed on the NYSE.
    \3\ Effective January 9, 2003, 
the NYSE relaunched the composite 
index with changes in methodology, 
definitions, and based on Dec. 31, 
2002=5,000. Effective January 8, 
2004 new indexes for Financial, 
Energy, and Health Care were 
introduced by the NYSE. Previous 
indexes shown for Industrial, 
Transportation, Utility, and Finance 
were discontinued.
    \4\ Includes 30 stocks.
    \5\ Includes 500 stocks.
    \6\ Includes over 5,000 stocks.
    \7\ Standard & Poor's series. 
Dividend-price ratios based on 
Wednesday closing prices. Earnings-
price ratios based on prices at end 
of quarter.


    Sources: New York Stock 
Exchange, Dow Jones & Company, Inc., 
Standard & Poor's, and Nasdaq Stock 
             Market.