Happy New Year to our readers!

Happy New Year, everyone!

For those still keeping an eye on the markets on this last trading day of the year, Bear Mountain Bull has today's Market Wrap, as well as a look at the action in the S&P 500 for you.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg summarizes the financial events of 2008 in, "Journal of a Plague Year: Faith in Markets Crack Under Losses".

It seems the scope of economic events (bankruptcies, bailouts, and record-breaking Ponzi schemes) was a bit overwhelming this year, especially given the constant stream of economic cheerleading from media and government/central bank officials ("everything's fine!") during most of 2008.

Now that the tide has gone out, we see who's been swimming naked.

We'll be back on Friday to wrap up 2008 and look to the investment trends and cultural themes for 2009. Until then, please enjoy our most recent posts and have a great New Year's holiday.