Compare and contrast the three major stock market indexes (i.e. Dow Jones Industrial Average, SP 500, and NASDAQ Composite).

This week you will provide an overview of the stock market and evaluate its past performance. Your discussion should include:

General

-The structure of the stock market and how it operates
-How transactions are conducted in the stock market
-Securities that could be bought or sold in the stock market
-Other available financial instruments besides stocks
-How they are used

Evaluation of Overall Stock Market Performance Using the Main Indexes:

-Compare and contrast the three major stock market indexes (i.e. Dow Jones Industrial Average, SP 500, and NASDAQ Composite).
-Graph the performance of indexes from 1996 to present.
-Analyze the trends and explain the major events from 1996.
-Discuss the overall economic outlook and analysts’ forecast of the stock
market.
-What are the factors that affect how the stock market performs?
-Where do you see the stock market going over the next three months?
One year? Three years?

Meet the following requirements:

-Be two or three pages in length for the analysis and explanations

-Include graphs and Excel spreadsheets; these spreadsheets should be embedded in the Word document as an appendix after your analysis and explanations

-Include a minimum of three credible references.