Today August 4, 2011 the Dow was down 512.76, the 4th biggest drop point wise in history. We are now down 4.58% for the year.
Largest daily point losses
Rank |
Date |
Close |
Net Change |
% Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2008-09-29 | 10,365.45 | −777.68 | −6.98 |
| 2 | 2008-10-15 | 8,577.91 | −733.08 | −7.87 |
| 3 | 2001-09-17 | 8,920.70 | −684.81 | −7.13 |
| 4 | 2008-12-01 | 8,149.09 | −679.95 | −7.70 |
| 5 | 2008-10-09 | 8,579.19 | −678.91 | −7.33 |
| 6 | 2000-04-14 | 10,305.78 | −617.77 | −5.66 |
| 7 | 1997-10-27 | 7,161.14 | −554.26 | −7.18 |
| 8 | 2008-10-22 | 8,519.21 | −514.45 | −5.69 |
| 9 | 2011-08-04 | 11,383.68 | −512.76 | −4.31 |
| 10 | 1998-08-31 | 7,539.06 | −512.62 | −6.37 |
The third largest one-day point drop in DJIA history, and largest at the time, occurred on September 17, 2001, the first day of trading after the September 11, 2001 attacks, when the Dow fell 684.81 points, or 7.1%.
The 5th largest single point loss was the day the Tarp vote failed, Oct 9 2008, down 678.91 points. Of course the October crash of 1987 was far bigger percentage wise but since the Dow was a much smaller number, the points were far less. That memorable day the Dow declined 508 points and 22.6% versus the 4.31% decline today. None the less this was a very painful day to be long anything. The few things we have been buying the last couple of days are all lower as to be expected. We are a little more than half invested and will continue to nibble away at names we like. A reminder to folks, you are supposed to buy when you least feel like it. Anyone feel like shopping? That’s the clue.