Dow Set To Suffer Rare Three-quarter Losing Streak

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is set to suffer a third-straight quarterly loss, for the first time since the six-quarter losing streak that ended in the first quarter of 2009, with the end of the Great Recession. Before that, the last time the blue-chip barometer declined for at least three-straight quarters was the five-quarter stretch ending in the first quarter of 1978, according to FactSet. In the Dow's 119-year history, the current streak would become just the 20th quarterly losing streak lasting at least three quarters. The longest quarterly losing streak is six quarters, seen first through the second quarter of 1970 and then matched through the first quarter of 2009. The Dow was up 209 points in morning trade Wednesday, but has lost 1,565 points, or 8.8%, during its current streak.