By Kevin Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis – Analysts say 2003 was the best in five years for St. Louis-based companies.
The Argent St. Louis Stock Index, which is made up of 56 publicly traded local companies, saw a nearly 32 percent increase at the end of 2003.
Argent Capital president John Meara said St. Louis stocks performed well even in manufacturing, which has lagged behind the overall U.S. economy.
"The industrial economy is not dead," Meara said. "2004 is shaping up to be a pretty strong revenue and order rate for not only the St. Louis community but looks like the nation as a whole."
Charter Communications saw the highest price per share gain in 2003.
The biotech firm Solutia, which filed for bankruptcy in December, had the sharpest decline.