Coming Week: Seeking Therapy

The market will look to recover from its New Year's hangover in the coming week.

Stocks have slumped since the market reopened for business after an extended break. In 2007's three days of trading, the Dow fell 65 points, or 0.5%, and the S&P 500 was down 8 points, or 0.6%. The Nasdaq, meanwhile, rose about 19 points, or 0.8%.

Although it's easy to slough off a holiday-shortened week of trading, market strategists are wary of starting the year on the wrong foot. According to Miller Tabak senior market strategist Phil Roth, "the first five days of January tends to forecast the month as a whole, and January tends to forecast the year, especially down Januarys." ...