Dow Jones breaks 20,000 for first time

Helped by Trump's economic plans

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average index has passed the 20,000 milestone for the first time since its launch.

The index reached a historic high of 20,003 upon opening on Wednesday 25 January, up 0.5% from its closing level of 19,912 on the previous day. This is the first time the index, which consists of 30 US stocks including Apple, Goldman Sachs and Nike, has passed 20,000 since its inception in May 1896. It passed 19,000 back in November 2016, but plateaued since that time and failed to reach the fabled 20,000 milestone despite several close calls. Over the past year, the Dow has returned 28% and has risen 9% since the US election. While rapid rises have historically been followed by ra...