Best and Worst Stocks of 2006
Allegheny Technologies led the S&P 500, while Whole Foods Market came in last. But fortunes are bound to change in 2007
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Most investors will smile when closing the spreadsheets on 2006. But there's even more reason to celebrate. Heading into 2007, analysts remain generally upbeat, though after the gains seen this year, they're reluctant to forecast a repeat performance (see BusinessWeek, 12/25/06, "Markets: Where Optimism Reigns").
How much better can it get? After all, the Dow Jones industrial average topped 12,500 for the first time, and the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index hit multiyear highs as well, finishing 2006 with a 13.6% gain for the year.