The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is down today as the stock market reacts to the January 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics Jobs Report. The BLS Jobs Report saw 143,000 jobs added in January, below the 169,000 additions experts expected. It’s worth noting this follows an extreme 307,000 additions in December.
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While job additions may have missed estimates, unemployment didn’t at 4%. That beat economists’ unemployment estimate of 4.1% in January. That’s worth highlighting as it shows a strong labor market alongside an average hourly pay increase of 4.1%.
However, this data does make Federal Reserve interest rate cuts less likely, partially explaining why the Dow Jones is down today. The index is slipping 0.3%, chipping away at its 5.18% increase year-to-date.
Which Stocks Are Dragging Down the DJIA?
Turning to the TipRanks DJIA heatmap tool, traders will see which stocks are weighing on the index today. The tech sector isn’t doing so hot with Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Intel (INTC) falling. The same is true for the consumer cyclical sector with Home Depot (HD) and Nike (NKE) in the red. Much of the heatmap is grey, signaling little movement from various sectors.
How to Invest in the Dow Jones
Investors can’t directly invest in the Dow Jones as it’s only an index. Instead, they might consider buying shares of stocks listed on the exchange. Buying shares dipping today could be a smart move if they recover, or investors might simply buy shares already on the rise.
Another option is buying shares of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the Dow Jones. There are plenty of ETFs to choose from, including those betting on and against the index. One popular choice is the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA).
