You probably hear about the Dow Jones Industrial Average every day. But there may be a lot about its history and make-up that you don't know.

U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Oil & Gas, Technology and Telecoms sectors led shares higher. At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.09%,

You probably hear about the Dow Jones Industrial Average every day, but how much do you really know about it? Q: What is the Dow Jones Industrial Average anyway? A: It’s a venerable U.S. stock-market index that Charles Dow invented in 1896.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was hamstrung near Monday’s opening bids at the start of a fresh trading week. The major equity index stuck close to the 42,200 level, with stock traders eyeing data risks and rate markets grappling with the odds of a follow-up cut from the Federal Reserve (Fed) in November.

Stock futures were lower Wednesday as investors watch developments in the Middle East and the U.S. port strike, while awaiting important labor market data in the coming days.