2008 was a year that started out with a booming economy and high hopes for the stock market. Interest rates were low, the economy was good, and people were getting raises. But the Hang Seng index, which started out the year almost 28,000 points, headed south and never managed to come back. High oil and food prices weighed on the economy. Then the financial tsunami hit in September, helping to drag down Hong Kong’s economy with it. The money magazine team takes a look back at the year in financial review 2008.