Stock markets in Japan and Europe make double-digit gains in 2005
Stock markets in Japan and across Europe traded lower on Friday but finished the year with double-digit gains, significantly outperforming U.S. stock markets. For the year, the Nikkei gained 40.24 percent -- the biggest annual gain since 1986 amid encouraging signs of an economic recovery in Japan. European stock indexes ended the year with smaller double-digit gains, propelled by buyout activity, a weaker dollar and corporate restructurings. The FTSE 100 climbed over 16 percent, Germany's DAX 30 gained 28 percent and the French CAC 40 jumped around 24 percent. By way of comparison, the Dow Jones industrials fell 0.61 percent for the year, closing in the negative territory for the first time since 2002, while the S&P rose 3 percent and the Nasdaq gained 1.37 percent.We got our asses kicked by the Japanese and the Europeans last year in the stock market. Life when Republicans rule...
