From the time of the UAL announcement at 2:54 P.M., the index plummets downward in a virtually unbroken straight line.

Starting at 100, the index peaked in mid-2000 at 495 and then plummeted 45 percent to 272 by the end of 2001.

On November 20, 2008, the index plummeted below 5,000 to a multi-year bear market low near 4,650.

And the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index plummeted 33.42 points, to 1,467.17.

But in 1990, the last year for which complete statistics are available, the index plummeted to 42, a decrease of 44 percent over 21 years.

It was the third consecutive day on which the index plummeted by almost 3 p.c. in an alarming acceleration of Japan's two-year process of asset deflation.

Many investors found themselves losing shocking sums as the indexes plummeted through February and March.

Instead of rising, however, all three indexes plummeted.

Other indices of well-being also plummeted.

Since it peaked on Columbus Day, the index has plummeted 226 points, or nearly 8 percent.