Will the Dow hit a record high in 2011?

NEW YORK (AP) -- Could the Dow set a record high next year?

That question would have seemed crazy early last year when fear and panic enveloped the stock market and the Dow Jones industrial average plunged to 6,547 on March 9. Many investors thought it would take a decade or longer to get back to the record of 14,165, set on Oct. 9, 2007.

Now we could be on the verge. The Dow has soared 76 percent the past 21 months, and it would have to climb just 23 percent from Thursday's close of 11,499 to set a record.

That's a big jump, but the Dow has risen 23 percent or more six times since 1985, or roughly 1 in 4 years. Many analysts don't expect quite that strong a run in 2011, but they agree conditions are in place for the rally to continue.

"There are some really compelling reasons out there that say the Dow could approach its highs," says Randy Bateman, chief investment officer for Huntington Asset Advisors. "You've got a fairly rosy scenario, where there isn't a whole lot of competition for stocks." Continue ►