I gave up stocks in 2004. I don't see the point of trading them. Maximum of 2:1 leverage (laughable). Options/Futures/Forex is the way to go.
If people were allowed to dip into their retirement funds without paying taxes up the ass, the Dow would be at 2000 right now. I think several people have given up on them.
More than a several. What shocks me though is even at the 10,000; 8,000 and now 7,000 breaks, financial advisers are STILL telling their clients to "DCA, DCA, DCA." I can't help to think that for many people, listening to their FA and dollar cost averaging essentially led to a larger financial predicament for many of them. Stocks will come back, but no time soon. Someone mentioned CDs, which is interesting because BAC and WFC have been mentioning larger flows into the money market as of lately. What's nice, though is I am still fairly young, so will hopefully be able to retire (I'm not expecting any SS) before 90 years old For many people in this country, 401(k)s and the like are their lifeblood for retirement. So having said that, assuming no politician comes up with a forever-solvent Social Security system, stocks will have to come back within the next half to full decade (not on index price, just popularity)
In emerging markets nobody thinks of the stock market as a safe place for retiremenet funds - that is what property is for. A mutual fund is defined as something that loses all your money.
Call me one of them. Just moved all my 401K to Pimco. Tired of the bleeding. Any bounce in the market is beat back with an announcement from the DUMBASS in the White House or Geitner. They still have another 6,000 pts or so to play with and I'm sure they will try and drive it as low as they can. This is intentional on their part that fits into their socialist plans for Amerika.
Here is what changes the story.... New innovation goes public at $10.... Goes to $200.... Bloomberg, CNBC, etc. jump all over it.... ........................................................................ There will be innovation....
Over the last 30 years Americans have learned to love soft living and fallen for the lie of prosperity at any price. In the last 10 years a significant number of delusional citizens have tested the get rich quick theory of life, twice. First, the internet bubble lured millions to believe that Pets.com was going to change the world and day trading was a road to riches. Once this bubble collapsed and wiped out millions of morons we moved onto the next bubble. Millions of Americans bought into the âfactâ that home prices only go up. The National Association of Realtors dealt the propaganda that now was the best time to buy. Alan Greenspan provided the fuel with 1% interest rates and recommending ARMs for everyone. Banks and mortgage brokers provided the mortgage products that would allow someone with annual income of $25,000 to âbuyâ a $400,000 home. George Bush and Congress stood on the sidelines cheering everyone on. The get rich quick portion of our population (10% to 20%) began to buy multiple houses and flipping them before the ink was dry on the closing papers. Home prices doubled in many places in the space of a few years. This lured a vast amount of the population to borrow against the ever increasing value of their homes. Everyone knew that home prices never fall. _________________________________________ IMHO, with what is coming down the pipe line, most American's will not have the money to invest period. IMHO the markets are toast and a few key Stocks will slowly rise but nothing close to the levels we saw the last 10 years. IMHO, Trading will be a thing of the past, money managers may have a life left. The US will have to get back to the times when "HARD WORK" , hands on Farming, Manufacturing, ETC will be in play. Technology will play a advancing roll but on the ENERGY and Production of Goods end...not the ".COM" end or "Personal PC". We will survive as a Nation but the Middle Class will pay the price that Pelose, OBAMA, and Crew set. Rich will pay the higher taxes because they can...they will buy "good"s and spend money because they can and they may create new jobs, because they can. But America better hope that those on the Font Line, the Private Wealth that create jobs in this country, do not up and walk away due to GOV "Terrorism" on the rich. My suggestion MR OBAMA. Read ATLAS SHRUGGS and get a Fucking CLUE !
Drop to 7500 - 8000 on dow was intentional. C probably for that matter also. This is something else. BAC, AIG. Very scary. Feeding upon itself. The cart has gone before the horse, as I have said before. Just a guess though. I have no real proof.