Good thing you were invested in the U.S.

2008 will be a year that every investor would like to forget, but few ever will. The stock market had its worst year since 1931. But it wasn't just stocks, every asset class got pummeled. No one was saved from the relentless selling and decline in asset values.

And it certainly wasn't just in the U.S. Actually, the U.S. was one of the best performing markets. Many countries saw their markets experience even more dramatic declines. To wit:

* U.K.: -53.5%
* China: -65.2%
* Brazil: -58.2%
* Korea: -61.6%
* Russia: -74.3%
* Iceland: -97.3% (ouch)