Coming Week: Don't Expect Fireworks

A fierce growl emanating from Wall Street likely will drown out the July Fourth fireworks for investors this weekend.

At the onset of the third quarter, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite index entered bear market territory for the first time since 2003 on Wednesday.

That milestone is the culmination of a now nearly year-long credit crunch that has choked markets since last summer. It has stifled the once red-hot M&A market, and that, along with soaring costs for energy and raw materials, has sent equities into a tailspin that shows little sign of abating. ...