  We examine the possibility that the large Nernst signal observed in the
pseudogap regime of hole-doped cuprates originates from quasiparticle transport
in a state with d-density wave (DDW) order, proposed by S. Chakravarty et al.
[Phys. Rev. B 63, 094503 (2001)]. We find that the Nernst coefficient can be
moderately enhanced in magnitude by DDW order, and is generally of negative
sign. Thus, the quasiparticles of the DDW state cannot account for the large
and positive Nernst signal observed in the pseudogap phase of the cuprates.
However, the general considerations outlined in this paper may be of broader
relevance, in particular to the recent measurements of Bel et al. in NbSe_2 and
CeCoIn_5 [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 066602 (2003); ibid. 92, 217002 (2004)].
