Jan 21, 2009

Worst inauguration day drop in Dow Industrial’s 112-year history!

Stocks usually go up on the day a new president is inaugurated. Not this time!

Yesterday, U.S. stocks sank, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to its worst Inauguration Day decline sending financial shares to an almost 14-year low.

State Street Corp., the largest money manager for institutions, tumbled 59 percent after unrealized bond losses almost doubled. Wells Fargo & Co. and Bank of America Corp. slumped more than 23 percent on an analyst’s prediction that they’ll need to take steps to shore up their balance sheets.

The Dow’s 4 percent slide was the most on an Inauguration Day in the measure’s 112-year history, according to data compiled by Bloomberg and the Stock Trader’s Almanac.

Link