Wall Street ended another unforgiving month with a steep loss — one that left the Dow Jones industrial average at less than half its record high.
— The Dow, at its lowest close since May 1, 1997, is now down 50.1 percent from its record high of 14,164.53 reached in October 2007. It came within 34 points of 7,000, a level it hasn’t fallen below since October 1997.
— The Standard & Poor’s 500 index breached its Nov. 21 trading low of 741.02, which came during the height of the credit crisis. Friday’s finish was the lowest for the index since Dec. 18, 1996.
— The Dow’s 11.7 percent loss in February was its worst monthly loss since 1933, when it fell 15.6 percent, and its sixth straight monthly drop. The half-year slide totals 38.8 percent, the worst since 1932, when it fell 45 percent.
The S&P 500 index fell 11 percent for the month. It was the second-worst February for the index, topped only by an 18.4 percent slide in 1933. It was the index’s fifth monthly drop in six months; it managed a slender gain of 0.8 percent in December.
— The Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 index, which reflects nearly all stocks traded in America, is down 52.7 percent since its October 2007 peak.
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