Only a handful of companies posted gains as the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 684.71 points, or 7.13%--the largest single-day point drop in stock market history. For a historical comparison, the composite index fell 508 points on Black Monday, Oct. 19, 1987, following a week of sharp drops.

Among those posting gains, were Palm Beach Gardens, FL-based Wackenhut Corp. and the affiliated Wackenhut Correctional Services Corp. It's a pretty good bet, however, investors weren't focused on their correctional facilities management and development operations.

Shares in Wackenhut Corp. closed up $4.45 a piece at $21.15 on volume of 458,900 largely because of the firms' security services operations. Wackenhut Correctional closed up 65 cents at $13.80 on volume of 167,000.