Monday Sept 17, Stocks Plunge, Dow Posts Record Point Drop
By Haitham Haddadin
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks posted a wrenching slide on Monday, with the Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) pushed to its biggest point drop ever, as investors shrugged off a surprise interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve and focused on fears that last week's terror attack on the world's financial heart may stoke a global recession.
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``The market hates uncertainty and to have this happen is a shock wave,'' said Larry Wachtel, market analyst at Prudential Securities, who returned to his offices in Manhattan's financial district amid acrid smoke from the smoldering ruins of the World Trade Center. ``This is something new to the American public and could contribute to a recession.''
Entertainment stocks like Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS - news) and airline stocks like UAL Corp. (NYSE:UAL - news), parent of No. 2 United Airlines, led the selloff on Wall Street's first day of trading since last week's assaults. The few winners included defense contractors like Raytheon Co. (NYSE:RTN - news) and hand gun maker Sturm Ruger & Co. (NYSE:RGR - news), as investors bet on U.S. retaliation and consumers becoming more security conscious.
Stocks were little changed in after-hours trading, and investors are bracing for more stock declines, albeit not of Monday's magnitude.
``Another couple of days of heavy pressure would not surprise me, but I don't think we are going to see any more down 5 percent days,'' said Henry Herrmann, chief investment officer at fund firm Waddell & Reed, which manages $32 billion in assets.
The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) plunged 684.81 points, or 7.13 percent, to end at 8,920.70, logging its biggest point loss ever and marking its lowest close since late 1998. The loss did not make the Top 10 biggest daily percentage drops, which is still headed by the 22.6 percent decline on Black Monday, when the stock market crashed on Oct. 19, 1987.
The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index (.SPX) lost 53.77 points, or 4.92 percent, to finish at 1,038.77 and the technology-laced Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) sank 115.82 points, or 6.83 percent, to 1,579.55. Both indexes were the lowest since mid-October 1998.
The New York Stock Exchange, located just three blocks southeast of the leveled World Trade Center, posted record volume. Politicians, regulators and grass-roots movements on the Web had exhorted investors to stage a patriotic rally, but few stepped up to the plate.
Trading was very heavy with 2.36 billion shares changing hands on the Big Board, the highest ever in the history of the NYSE. Roughly four stocks fell for every one that rose on both the NYSE and the Nasdaq.
Some 534 NYSE stocks and 718 Nasdaq stocks fell to new 52-week lows, including Web gear giant Cisco Systems (NasdaqNM:CSCO - news). Cisco, which like many companies announced a stock buyback, was Nasdaq's most active issue and lost 47 cents to $14.
Central bankers on both sides of the Atlantic slashed interest rates, usually a positive for stocks. But apprehension over possible U.S. military retaliation and a weakening economy kept stocks planted in negative terrain.
``The market has a lot to digest. There's a lot of emotion in today's market as many people were affected by the tragedy,'' said Peter Coolidge, managing director of equity trading at Brean Murray & Co. ``If you looked at trading in Europe and Asia before, you would have expected something of this magnitude (here) or even a little bit more.''
Grieving but resolute Wall Street bond traders, bankers and stock analysts returned to work on Monday, and many said they wanted to get financial markets rolling again.
``I want to get back to my daily routine, I want to move forward,'' said Share Crafton, a stock broker at Thornwater Co. on a somber Wall Street this morning. ``The opening of the stock exchange is symbolic. It shows the strength of Americans pulling together.''
Financial pros did pull together -- many Wall Street firms operated from make-shift trading operations across the Hudson River in New Jersey -- but failed to prevent a sharp selloff.
About $600 billion in investor wealth evaporated on Monday, as measured by a 5 percent drop in the broad Wilshire 5000 index (.TMW). Some $6.1 trillion in investor wealth has been wiped out since the Nasdaq index hit a peak in March 2000.
Many mainstream investors sat tight, instilling a sense of resilience during the massive selloff.
``Basically, I'm going to hold pat,'' said Don Stern, an art dealer from Highland Park, New Jersey, who invests in mutual funds and indexes such as the Standard & Poor's 500. ``Call it patriotism or whatever. I don't like panic reactions to things and I also think it wouldn't be good for the country to sell.''
Wall Street bond traders, bankers and stock analysts are still missing co-workers in the ruins of the World Trade Center's 110-story twin towers. Many showed up for work carrying paper American flags, and a uncharacteristic spirit of cooperation was evident.
``Even our competitors are our friends. We want to get down here and be successful,'' Joseph Mahoney, a director at New York Stock Exchange specialist firm Wagner Stott Bear. ``The market is still functioning. I can say I saw no panic.''
U.S. airline stocks plummeted as investors around the world feared sharp decline in air travel in the wake of the assault.
The Standard and Poor's Airlines Index (.SPAIR) plunged 32 percent, reflecting losses by AMR Corp. (NYSE:AMR - news), parent of American Airlines, down $11.70 at $18, or off 39 percent, and US Airways (NYSE:U - news) lost $6.05 to $5.57, or 52 percent.
Continental Airlines Inc. (NYSE:CAL - news) fell $19.59 to $20.05, or more than 49.4 percent, after the company said on Saturday it would lay off 12,000 staffers and warned it could file for bankruptcy. Continental Chief Executive Gordon Bethune warned as many as 100,000 airline jobs could be lost.
U.S. television networks stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars from their decision to broadcast commercial-free news coverage of the attacks. Disney, which owns ABC, fell $4.33 to $19.25, the largest percentage decliner on the Dow.
Aerospace companies may ax jobs and cut research spending as ripples from the attacks spread to airline industry's suppliers. Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE:HON - news) dropped $6.20 to $29.50. Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA - news) fell $7.66 to $35.80.
The two pressured the Dow as did United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX - news), which plunged $18.70 to $47.50, or 28 percent. United Technologies, whose products range from engines to elevators, said quarterly earnings would fall below targets due to disruptions in the commercial airline industry.
Defense contractors rose, led by makers of military electronics systems, as investors bet on an increase to defense spending following the attack. Raytheon rallied $6.65 to $31.50, Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT - news) jumped $5.63 to $43.95. Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC - news) rose $12.86 to $94.80. Arms manufacturer Sturm Ruger added $1 to close at $10.30.
The Fed, acting between its regularly scheduled meetings, cut interest rates by a half percentage point to 3 percent from 3.50 percent to prop up the struggling economy. The European Central Bank followed suit and cut its rates by a half-percentage point in an unexpected move, as did the Swiss National Bank, which also lowered rates by a similar amount.
So far, the Fed's cuts this year have done little to boost the sagging stock market. But a number of analysts said Monday's selloff on very heavy volume left stocks undervalued.
``With the reduction in interest rates, with the market declines today and with all the fiscal stimulus that's on the table, I believe the market is now undervalued,'' said Stanley Nabi, managing director at Credit Suisse Asset Management, which oversees $110 billion. |
