USA Today – Technically, a bear market is when stocks fall 20% or more from their highs. But there’s a saying that a bear’s true signature is making a fool out of everyone. Based on that, we’re all laughingstocks, because there has been virtually no way to avoid this bear market’s claws.
Following a 445-point slide to 7552 Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average is down more than 6,600 points from its high. The broad stock market is at it lowest level in 11½ years, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 index off 52% from its high in October 2007 and on pace for its worst year ever, S&P says. Only 13 of its 500 stocks are not down for the year, and more than 100 trade for less than $10 a share.
