Dow drops and comebacks in perspective

Clearly, the tremors of historic happenings are felt by privately held firms and their shareholders. But to what degree, and for how long?

Below is a look at the how the Dow Jones Industrial Average reacted to a dozen major events. Prevailing US economic conditions and other factors should also be taken into account.

Next Six

trading months Event day later

12/7/41 Pearl Harbor -3.5% -9.5%

6/26/50 Korean War -0.8 7.4

10/22/62 Cuban missile crisis -1.9 25.1

11/22/63 JFK assassination -2.9 12.0

2/26/65 Vietnam war -0.4 -0.8

8/8/74 Nixon resigns -1.6 -10.7

11/5/79 Iran hostage crisis 0.8 1.2

1/28/86 Challenger explodes 1.2 15.4

8/2/90 Iraq invades Kuwait -1.2 -5.8

1/16/91 Desert Storm 0.9 13.7

9/11/01 WTC attack -7.2 -

10/7/01 US reprisals begin -0.6 -