What's Up/Down With This Market?(Statistical Data Included)

With the Dow and Nasdaq fluctuating wildly, brokers must tread carefully. Here are some suggested steps.

In recent months, both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq Composite Index have set record highs and suffered dramatic losses -- but rarely in tandem. The performance of the two indexes has often diverged, illustrating a difference between what has been described as the Old Economy, represented by traditional blue-chip companies, and the New Economy, driven by technology.

This market bifurcation and concurrent volatility have posed a formidabl