NEW YORK, 22 September 2026 — The Nasdaq Composite ended at 27,244.28, approximately 0.45% higher, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell approximately 0.36% to 51,863.69. AP described the Nasdaq finish as a record. Closing levels were also checked against Yahoo Finance’s daily index series.
Two benchmarks, opposite directions
The prior-session Nasdaq close was 27,122.09; the Dow’s was 52,048.83. CapKet calculates each percentage change as the new close divided by the previous close, minus one. Rounding those results to two decimals puts the performance gap at about 0.81 percentage points.
| Cash index | September 22 close | Calculated daily change |
|---|---|---|
| Nasdaq Composite | 27,244.28 | +0.45% |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | 51,863.69 | −0.36% |
What this comparison does and does not show
The Nasdaq Composite and Dow are not interchangeable portfolios. Different constituent universes and weighting methods mean their daily returns can diverge even when they trade through the same economic backdrop. An investor’s actual holdings can therefore perform very differently from the index most prominently featured in a headline.
The closing figures alone do not establish the number of advancing shares, how evenly gains were distributed, or which individual company caused the record. Those questions require constituent returns and breadth data. This report does not infer a broad-based rally simply from the Nasdaq level.
A useful follow-up to Monday’s record
The previous session’s record report remains available under its original URL. Tuesday’s higher finish extends the historical sequence, but the Dow’s decline makes the latest session a distinct story rather than a repetition of Monday’s rally.
Reading the next session correctly
Futures prices before the next cash open are separate instruments. They should not replace these closing values or be labelled as a new cash-index close. The next meaningful checks are sector participation and whether strength broadens beyond the stocks carrying the leading benchmark.
Method: Historical USD-market index points, not investable spot prices. Data sources: Nasdaq series and Dow series. This analysis is not investment advice.