Market Watch 1/22/10

Stock Market Closing Prices – 1/22/10

Dow Jones Industrial Average ( DJIA ) Close – 10172.98 -216.90
Nasdaq Stock Market Close – 2205.29 -60.41
S&P 500 Close – 1091.76 -24.72

Commodities Closing Prices – 1/22/10

Gold Close – 1090.80 -11.90
Oil Close – 74.23 -1.85
Natural Gas – 5.80

Investors continued to worry about President Barack Obama's plan to restrict big banks. They decided that good earnings reports weren't good enough. They didn't like mounting opposition to the reappointment of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. And they were still uneasy that a possible economic slowdown in China might spread.

Stocks have had their worst showing since they began their recovery last March. The market also is seeing the the kind of volatility that dominated the market's long slide -- the Dow has had a triple-digit move five straight days for the first time since December 2008.

Bernanke, whose term ends Jan. 31, is still waiting for the Senate to confirm his reappointment to another term. But a growing number of senators are blaming the Fed chairman for the nation's economic problems.

The Dow broke critical support at 10200 today ! There are signs the big moves in the market will continue. The Chicago Board Options Exchange's Volatility Index jumped 52.5 percent for the week.