Is 1995 a Record for Records?

When it comes to setting business records, 1995 was one for the books. Topping the list are the greatest number of corporate mergers, the greatest number of record highs on Wall Street and the longest U.S. government shutdown. A sampling:

Value of mergers and acquisitions

Previous record: $347.50 billion (1994)

1995 (as of 12/27): $466.34 billion

Number of mergers and acquisitions

Previous record: 7,568 (1994)

1995 (as of 12/27): 8,773

Number of record highs of the Dow Jones industrial average

Previous record: 65 (1925)

1995 (as of 12/27): 69

New York Stock Exchange average daily share trading volume

Previous record: 291 million (1994)

1995 (as of 12/27): 347 million

Name changes by NYSE-listed companies

Previous record: 54 (1994)

1995 (as of 12/27): 60

Biggest U.S. bank

Previous record: Citicorp’s, $257 billion in assets

1995 (as of 12/27): Chemical-Chase (planned), $297 billion in assets

U.S. government shutdown

Previous record: 3 days (1989)

1995 (as of 12/27): 11 days and counting

Source: Associated Press