Sean "P. Diddy" Combs rang the the opening bell Thursday at the New York Stock Exchange.

P. Diddy, who was there representing his Sean John clothing line, was joined by NYSE chairman Richard Grasso and Federated Department Stores president Terry Lundgren. Afterward, Puffy walked the floor and signed autographs for traders. At first it looked as if the Bad Boy Entertainment CEO might be a good luck charm for the stock exchange as trading was up for the first time in four days, but ultimately the Dow fell for a fifth straight session.

It was the latest in a string of high profile appearances for Diddy, who has also hosted the American Music Awards and filled in for Regis Philbin on "Live with Regis & Kelly" in recent weeks, which is amazing considering where he was less than a year ago -- in the middle of one of the most publicized trials of 2001. Puff Daddy was acquitted last March of weapons possession and bribery charges in connection with a December 1999 shooting at a New York nightclub.