by Calculated Risk on 7/22/2009 04:13:00 PM

By popular demand ...

Click on graph for larger image in new window.

The first graph shows the S&P 500 since 1990.

The dashed line is the closing price today.

The S&P 500 is up 41% from the bottom (277 points), and still off 39% from the peak (611 points below the max).

This puts the recent rally into perspective. The S&P 500 first hit this level in Sept 1997; about 12 years ago.

The second graph is from Doug Short of dshort.com (financial planner): "Four Bad Bears".

Note that the Great Depression crash is based on the DOW; the three others are for the S&P 500.