Wall Street Faces Worst Yearly Drop Since 1931

We're number 1!

Investors are preparing to close out the last three trading days of 2008, a year in which Wall Street has logged its worst performance since Herbert Hoover was president.

The ongoing recession and global economic shock pummeled stocks this year, with the Dow Jones industrial average slumping 36.2 percent. That's the biggest drop since 1931 when the Great Depression sent stocks reeling 40.6 percent.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index is set to record the biggest drop since its creation in 1957. The index of America's biggest companies is down 40.9 percent for the year.

Seriously, if anyone can send me some happy, upbeat economic news - basically, anything to suggest we're all NOT going to die, I'd love to post it too. You got my email (top of this column).