If the Dow is Down 0.30% Nasdaq Down 0.60% why are the numbers different ?

Question

and does this mean that one is inaccurate? (Basically why aren't they the same?)

Answer 1

they are composed of different entities and different weights

Answer 2

They are totally different indexes.

Answer 3

Dow is one of the first indexes for the NYSE.  The DOW tracks about 30 stocks out of about 4,000 in the NYSE.  It is a general gauge to see how well the NYSE, often called "the market" is doing (although it's very possible for the DOW to be down and the general NYSE to be up).  In the computer age, NASDAQ became a competing exchange which traded stocks from companies (generally tech stocks when it first started) that didn't meet the requirements to trade on the NYSE.  NYSE generally handles large and medium sized companies while NASDAQ handles small and medium sized companies. There is yet another major stock market in the U.S., AMEX which generally trades in very small companies.  AMEX is rarely talked about.