Dow Closes Below 10000

After two more days of sharp losses, the modest gains made by the market over the last few months were finally erased. For the first time since February 8, the Dow closed below 10000 amid continuing distress over Europe's financial woes. Though it was up 135 points at one point Wednesday morning, it finished down 69.30 points, or 0.7 percent at 9974.45 at the close of trading. Analysts are taking the slide as a sign that, even when the market has rallied recently, investors have not been firmly convinced that any gains will hold. "The volatility has been all about people questioning whether the global recovery is still intact," one investment strategist said.