You probably don't need the reminder, but it's been a rough year for the investing community. The bond market is enduring its worst year on record, while the growth-dependent Nasdaq Composite, which led the broader market higher for much of the past decade, has plunged as much as 38% over the trailing year.

Yet amid this carnage, the 30-component Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) has performed reasonably well. Through last week, the Dow was lower by just 5.5% year to date. That's a testament to the quality of companies that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

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Source Fool.com