Traders work at the New York Stock Exchange on Dec. 17, 2024. NYSE The Dow Jones Industrial Average was threatening to enter the history books Tuesday with its first nine-day losing streak since the 1970s in sight. The 30-stock average shed 273 points, or 0.6%. The S&P 500 lost 0.4% along with the Nasdaq Composite . The Dow’s losing streak began the day after it closed above 45,000 for the first time ever earlier in the month. action. 32 Min Ago Dow tracks for longest losing streak since 1978 The Dow is on pace to notch its longest losing streak since February 1978. The world looked a lot different nearly half of a century ago. For starters, Jimmy Carter was president of the U.S. The Dow, which now trades comfortably above 40,000, had never closed a session above 1,000 until earlier in the decade. The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” song topped the Billboard Hot 100 during the month, while “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” led the box office. Actor Ashton Kutcher, known for his role in “That ’70s Show,” was born early in the month in Iowa. Unlike how 2024 is looking, 1978 turned out to be a weak year for the Dow. The blue-chip index finished 1978 lower by more than 3%, which marked its second down year in a row. — Alex Harring, Adri