Stock Market Up 8%, Just in 2025 - Don't Jinx This with an Explanation

There's the anecdote about Babe Ruth. A journalist asked him to explain his success. The famed baseball player complied. Then he went into a slump.

That could happen to the spectacular performance of the Dow Jones. 

Just this year it's up 8%. That's despite the perils of the highest tariffs since way back in the 19th century, geopolitical chaos, high interest rates and inflation. 

Obviously, Boomers and the oldest of Gen X can exhale. Maybe they won't outlive the money they put into equities. Remember the ethos of old-time Mad magazine mascot Alfred E. Neuman: What, Me Worry. Bring on the wild optimism of those boom times in America. 

A recent article in The Atlantic admits that so far no one has been able to make sense of what's happening in the Dow. That might be a good thing. An adequate analysis could stop dead the march of the Dow to 45,00 and beyond.

Here's what's happening today:

44,109.94
+141.30 (+0.32%)
As of Fri. Aug 8, 2025 9:53 AM EDT · Free Realtime Quote (USD) · Market open
Full chart

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