Final answer:
The exponential distribution is associated with measuring the likelihood and timing of rare events like a stock market crash. For general stock market performance, indices such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 are used, which average stock prices of select groups of companies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The measure of distribution that relates to extreme events, such as a stock market crash, is the exponential distribution. This type of distribution is often used to model the amount of time until a specific event occurs. For instance, the occurrence of a stock market crash can be thought of as a rare event, which the exponential distribution could potentially describe if the crashes follow a memoryless process. This distribution is not typically used for regular stock market performance analysis; however, it is used to gauge the frequency of rare, impactful events.
Stock market performance is usually measured by indices such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500), and the Wilshire 5000. These indices provide a snapshot of market trends and are not designed specifically to predict extreme events like crashes but rather to give a broad gauge of market activity. For example, the S&P 500 Index reflects the weighted average market capitalization of selected firms in the index, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted average of 30 industrial stocks tracked on the New York Stock Exchange.