Chart of the week: The rising cost of Berkshire Hathaway shares

published 22 August 2014

Shares in Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett's holding company, are now worth over $200,000 each. Berkshire, which invests in businesses from insurance to rail freight, could be bought for under $10 in the early 1960s.

It is so expensive because it has never undergone a stock split. A pricey stock is harder to buy or sell, but Buffett says that weeds out short-term speculators and encourages the kind of long-term investor he wants.