Dow, Nasdaq Leap Back to Close Out February

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 53 points to close at 12,952.07 Wednesday while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 shed 20 points and 6.50 points, respectively, in the final trading day of the month.

Despite Wednesday’s losses, all the major indexes are off to a strong start so far in 2012.

Stocks initially rallied on news that the GDP grew at a 3% annual rate, logging its strongest improvement since the second quarter of 2010, according to the Commerce Department. Economists had expected GDP to be unchanged at a 2.8% rate. The economy expanded at a 1.8% pace in the third quarter.

Also, the index of Midwest business activity gained in February to 64.0, hitting its highest level since last April, according to the Chicago ISM. Most economists were expected a reading of 61.5, compared with 60.2 in January.

Here are some more details from Wednesday’s trading session:

Dow Jones Industrial Average:

  • February: DJIA, up 319.16 points, or 2.53%
  • Up five consecutive months.
  • Up 2,038.69 points, or 18.68%, over the five-month period.
  • Up three consecutive Februarys.
  • Today: DJIA, down 53.05 points, or 0.41%
  • Down three of the past four trading days.
  • Largest one-day points and percentage decline since February 15, 2012.
  • Lowest closing value since February 22, 2012.
  • An intraday high of 13055.75 occurred at 10:01:14 today, representing an increase of 50.63 points, or 0.39%.
  • An intraday low of 12929.66 occurred at 11:30:09 today, representing a decrease of 75.46 points, or 0.58%.
  • Nine of the 30 component stocks rose, 21 fell.
  • Today's top five contributors to The Dow's movement and their point contribution: KO (7.64), UTX (3.03), HD (2.57), WMT (1.14), PG (0.98).
  • Today's bottom five laggards: CAT (-11.73), IBM (-9.46), AXP (-6.58), HPQ (-6.58), XOM (-4.84).
  • Down 8.56% from its record close of 14164.53 on October 09, 2007.
  • Up 97.83% from its 12-year closing low of 6547.05 on March 9, 2009.
  • Up 7.34% from 52 weeks ago.
  • Up 4.79% from its 2012 closing low of 12359.92 on January 06, 2012.
  • Down 0.41% from its 52-week high of 13005.12 on February 28, 2012.
  • Up 21.56% from its 52-week low of 10655.30 on October 03, 2011.
  • Year-to-date: up 6.01%.
  • DJIA crossed zero 15 times during today's trading session.

Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Index:

  • February: Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Index: up 548.41 points, or 4.01%, or approximately $644 billion in market capitalization.
  • Up three consecutive months and four of the last five months.
  • Up 1,276.88 points, or 9.87%, over the three-month period.
  • Up three consecutive Februarys.
  • Best February performance (point and percentage) since 1998.
  • Today: Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Index, down 80.68 points, or 0.56%, or approximately $94.3 billion in market cap.
  • Today’s drop snaps a four-day winning streak.
  • Largest one-day points and percentage decline since February 10, 2012.
  • Lowest closing value since February 22, 2012.
  • Down 9.74%, (approximately $2.6 trillion in market cap), from its record close of 15745.39 on October 09, 2007.
  • Up 108.99% (approximately $8.6 trillion in market cap), from the 12-½ year closing low of 6800.08 on March 9, 2009.
  • Up 3.94% from 52 weeks ago.
  • Down 0.56% from its 2012 closing high of 14292.37 on February 28, 2012.
  • Up 7.61% from its 2012 closing low of 13206.64 on January 04, 2012.
  • Down 0.68% from its 52-week high of 14308.37 on April 29, 2011.
  • Up 25.78% from its 52-week low of 11299.07 on October 03, 2011.
  • Year-to-date: up 9.16%, or approximately 1.4 trillion in market cap.

Data courtesy of Dow Jones Indexes.

 

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