A look back at the highs and lows of the past year in the financial markets.
FORTUNE — To borrow from the 1978 camp classic, “Greece” is the word. Looking back at 2011, the European debt crisis — particularly Europe’s protracted will-they-or-won’t-they debate over coming to the aid of their Greco-roamin’ common currency partners — was probably the single biggest factor to impact the financial markets. As if that weren’t enough, we also had the mother of all insider-trading convictions (looking at you, Raj), plus the raised fists and earthy-smelling tents of the Occupy movement, plus enough economic uncertainty to give Ben Bernanke cold sweats. Still, out of chaos — ironic how that word comes from the Greek — comes opportunity, and some people on Wall Street managed to find an upside in all the turmoil. Over the following pages, we look back at the highs and lows of the past year in the financial markets. Call it the thrill of victory and the agony of the Street. —Jeff Garigliano
CEOs: Executive Perform-O-Scan
The best and worst of Wall Street 2011
This article is from the December 26, 2011 issue of Fortune.
