As if we had any doubt after the beginning of May brought huge declines to the stock market, volatility is back in a major way. Today's market action shows just how jumpy stocks have become, with the Dow Jones Industrials
Even though the Dow recovered, many Dow components did not. Cisco Systems
Caterpillar
Finally, JPMorgan Chase fell almost 1%. With Wall Street's major banking and investment firms taking their respective turns on the hot seat over issues ranging from questionable foreclosure practices to the mishandling of the Facebook IPO, JPMorgan still hasn't managed to push its multibillion-dollar failed trade firmly into the background. As long as JPMorgan keeps its derivative position, it will remain vulnerable to both further losses and criticism from investors.
Don't stop believin'
The Dow's late-afternoon rallies have been interesting, but you shouldn't pay much attention to them over the long run. Instead, get yourself in a longer-term mind-set by reading about The Motley Fool's chief investment officer and his pick for the Fool's top stock for 2012. It's all in our free special report, which you can read for free to discover the name of this stock.