Aw Heck, it really wasn't that bad, was it?

AP News Release January 2, 2009

updated 2:30 p.m. ET, Fri., Jan. 2, 2009

NEW YORK - Economic cycles are Darwinian, picking off weak companies and leaving survivors stronger.

More than a year into the recession, solid retailers have their pick of mall space. Respected banks are getting an influx of deposits. Tech companies with money to spend are having an easier time hiring.

It's been a year of brutal losses. More than 1.2 million jobs have vanished. The broadest measure of the stock market, the Wilshire 5000, is down more than $7 trillion, a 40 percent slide. The indicators that have increased are measures of misery, like foreclosures and demand at food pantries. Sphere: Related Content