This week, children headed back to school, football players lumbered back onto the field and traders made their way back to their desks after what seemed like a fleeting summer. There always seems to be a little sadness as we return to the grind after Labor Day, especially given the somber Sept. 11 anniversary, but this year feels different somehow. It's like the overall mood has soured, and only the gold traders are feeling especially chipper.
For example, after weeks of often-heated town-hall meetings, President Barack Obama took to the podium and spoke to Congress and the country, outlining his plans for health-care reform. But even his formal address was interrupted by a brief outburst from Republican congressman Joe Wilson.
What was the fallout? Well, an apology was offered and accepted, but that surely will not mark the end of the rancor surrounding this debate. Am I the only one who thinks, on an issue as vital as health care, we'd likely benefit from less screaming and more listening? We could use a dose of simple civility .
Not even a better consumer-confidence reading than expected could cheer people up on Friday, snapping the recent winning streak for U.S. stocks. For the day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) fell 22 points to 9,605, while the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) lost a bit over a point to stand at 1,043 and the Nasdaq Composite Index (COMP) declined 3 points to 2,081.
Over the past week, however, the Dow gained 1.7%, the S&P 500 advanced 2.6% and the Nasdaq added 3.1%.
By MarketWatch
