AIG Added To Dow Jones Industrial Average

By Michael Ha

NU Online News Service, April 1,4:29 p.m.EST?

The New York-based Dow Jones & Company Inc. announced todaythat the move, which will go into effect April 8, will help its DowJones Industrial Average reflect more growth in the financial andhealth care sectors. AIG?combined with Pfizer Inc. and VerizonCommunications?is replacing three companies on the Dow index:AT&T Corp., Eastman Kodak Co. and International Paper Co.

Changes to the Dow Jones Industrial Average are made by theeditorial department of The Wall Street Journal, which isowned by Dow Jones & Company Inc. More specifically, PaulSteiger, the managing editor of The Wall Street Journal,and John Prestbo, the markets editor for The Wall StreetJournal and editor of Dow Jones indexes, oversee the changes,said a spokesperson for Dow Jones & Company.

"We are pleased with the recognition," said Andrew Silber, anAIG representative.

Dow Jones Industrial Average?often referred to as the Dow orDJIA?is the best known U.S. index of stocks. It consists of 30stocks that trade on the New York Stock Exchange and is widelyconsidered as the most-significant barometer of how shares of thelargest U.S. companies are performing.