January 5, 2009
Todays negative close occurring on the second day of the year, is only the 16th such occasion in the 58 years since 1950. The DJIAs loss of -.91 percent was the sharpest drop, whereas the S&P500 fell -.47 percent and the NASDAQ -.26 percent. Looking at this setback relative to all losses on this day, reveals it as comparatively modest, since five or one third- of these declines exceeded minus one percent.
On the positive side, moreover, only 17 gained more than plus one percent. Thus the conclusion that this years result lies well within the historical experience of this day, where changes greater than one percent occur just about half of the time.
DJIA -.91 percent
NASDAQ -.26 percent
S&P500 -.47 percent