Year to Date, The Dow Is Up

If you think it's been a long time since you've heard the above phrase, you're right. Granted, it's only the first trading day of the year, but given that there was no point in 2008 where the Dow was up for the year at the close of a trading day, it feels good to say it. Since 1900, 2008 was only the fourth year where the Dow (1910, 1962, and 1977) never had a single day where it closed up for the year.

At least this year the first trading day of the year fell on a Friday, thus guaranteeing that we'll definitely be able to say it for another two days.