Tumbling Stock Unnerves Investors

Investors are hoping for a recovery of sorts today after the beating the stock market took yesterday. The Dow industrials open from 12,501 after yesterday's plunge of 277 points, or more than two percent.

The Nasdaq composite index, which was down more than 60 points, stands at the 2,417 level. And the S&P 500 begins the session at 1,381 on yesterday's slide of 35 points.

There was plenty of bad news to roil the market following Monday's strong showing, including word that wholesale prices posted their biggest annual increase in 26 years during 2007 and that retail sales fell last month.

This morning, traders will get a look at the consumer price index for December and all of 2007 and the latest on oil inventories.