Been paying attention to the stock market again.....

[Garceau]

Just checked my balance - since JB took office my stocks are up just a shade under 20%

Not quite the growth I had when Obama was in, after the big drop of course....was such a good time to dump money into it.

While I wish it grew at a faster rate - its growing, and not the doomsday many predicted (yet)

 

[YY1]

My dental hygienist asked the question back around 2010-

"where did all the money go?"

I told her- it went to the people who sold the stocks before the price went down, and that as more and more did that, it caused the stock price to go further and further down".

 

[Hey-O]

My dental hygienist asked the question back around 2010-

"where did all the money go?"

I told her- it went to the people who sold the stocks before the price went down, and that as more and more did that, it caused the stock price to go further and further down".

The more that take a loss while it's on its way down by jumping ship is sad. It's a long haul thing for most of us and I stopped betting on the short term and just put it on automatic. Up and down, it's the average that counts to me. I'm living proof that over the last 40 years it's been kind to me.

 

[68BabyBlue]

The more that take a loss while it's on its way down by jumping ship is sad. It's a long haul thing for most of us and I stopped betting on the short term and just put it on automatic. Up and down, it's the average that counts to me. I'm living proof that over the last 40 years it's been kind to me.

My wife's youngest brother, who just turned 60, has lived a variation on this theme. He is a forensic CPA, with extremely high analytical intelligence. His lifetime earnings are probably double what I made, but he has consistently fallen into the trap of chasing the latest hot thing. He has owned three homes, all purchased at market tops, the first two sold at market bottoms. Number three will be the same deal if he sells. Other investments included margin purchases of dot com stocks in the 90s, and most recently, bitcoin, at the top of the market.

He got divorced in the 90s, never remarried, no kids. He's been able to take risks most folks can't. He'll never have to worry about starving to death, but it's amazing how little he's managed to accumulate using his "swing for the fences" approach.

 

[Hey-O]

My wife's youngest brother, who just turned 60, has lived a variation on this theme. He is a forensic CPA, with extremely high analytical intelligence. His lifetime earnings are probably double what I made, but he has consistently fallen into the trap of chasing the latest hot thing. He has owned three homes, all purchased at market tops, the first two sold at market bottoms. Number three will be the same deal if he sells. Other investments included margin purchases of dot com stocks in the 90s, and most recently, bitcoin, at the top of the market.

He got divorced in the 90s, never remarried, no kids. He's been able to take risks most folks can't. He'll never have to worry about starving to death, but it's amazing how little he's managed to accumulate using his "swing for the fences" approach.

Tortoise and the hare. In this market if you're invested in homes, make it a flip, in and out. I have no idea how long this housing bubble will last. One of my daughters, the one who doesn't want me to drag her into this forum, is making more money than the law should allow. 30 to 45 day flips.

 

[Ron H]

Which won't last. Right now, the trend is firmly on an upward trajectory. History says it should last another few years. Then a bump in the road and then a run. The average since it started, over a hundred years ago, is over 9 percent. It'll last longer than you and I.

The thing that has me confused this go around, is no recession as some of the predictors and markers were there. Several increases in interest rates and inflation. And the fed just left the rate alone. Weird, tons of people have cash or just ok going further into debt buying like nuts. Demand still exceeding supply, MO certainly see some reasons why; but go figure.

 

[Under Pressure]

Read an interesting article a few months back that kinda answered my question on why many don’t feel the benefits of our stock market. Only 56% of working Americans are participating in 401k plans which began in 1978.
A considerable small generation of Americans holds 50% of the wealth, Baby Boomers.
I started a 401 in 1987, still contributing since I’m still working, but I feel it’s worked very well, when it comes to stocks, I never try to guess the top or try to guess the bottom, I prefer to only buy what I know and understand. Example, 11/2 years ago I added SWBI when a lot of gun control talk started ramping up, and in May of 2020 I bought MAR when it tanked during the pandemic.

 

[Hey-O]

The thing that has me confused this go around, is no recession as some of the predictors and markers were there. Several increases in interest rates and inflation. And the fed just left the rate alone. Weird, tons of people have cash or just ok going further into debt buying like nuts. Demand still exceeding supply, MO certainly see some reasons why; but go figure.

The market is numb to all the hype and is only thinking about profits from sales. When that slice of ham goes to 5 bucks and people keep buying, that's profits, not loss. People have to keep buying, maybe less, but they can't stop. Prices are never going back to where they were. The packaging has gotten smaller and I don’t see them retooling again. From here they might lower the price a little, but they're still far ahead of the game because of the packaging. Just my opinion.

 

[YY1]

Inflation can be used as a tool for less than scrupulous companies (who thinks there are companies with scruples?) to increase profits.

 

[YY1]

Tortoise and the hare. In this market if you're invested in homes, make it a flip, in and out. I have no idea how long this housing bubble will last. One of my daughters, the one who doesn't want me to drag her into this forum, is making more money than the law should allow. 30 to 45 day flips.

I've only been in since 1999 but it has done quite well by me all considered.

I don't have a 401k and only started an IRA 2 years ago because IRS FK'd my withholding and we made "too much" and were going to be taxed out of an additional $6000. Instead, I put that 6k into a newly created IRA. Simple stupid decision there. Not as liquid, but still mine

I did have a 403b from about 2000 until 2017 (tax free but no match). Interestingly, that has grown more since I stopped contributing.

 

[VANDAN]

So with so many World Economies in trouble, Record Inflation, Corporations Laying Off Employee's, Shrinking Product Size, and Our Government Giving Away $$$ it Doesn't Have, Everyone seems to Believe the Market is Fantastic ? Since we are in the Most Important Election of Our Lifetime, and the Current Admin has been Floundering on All Fronts, does Anyone See the possibility that the Market is just Camoflage, to cover Reality ? If the Market was Not doing Well, would the Admin in Place have Anything to Boost Them ? Remember who Owns it All, Blackrock, Vanguard, and Stateside, who in turn are In Bed with the Central Banks ? I'm in No Way saying "Don't make the $$ while you can", just Be Aware "things are not always as they appear". We are still fully in on Our Invests, and Up by some very nice #'s, but Remember, it's All just figures on Erasable Paper...

 

[#41]

The last two quarters have been fun. It makes you feel like you lost some weight and your hair got fuller and darker. I swear the sun is even shining brighter.

Not that it really matters I guess.... I don't spend any of it. I'm just making money for some nursing home owner in the future.

 

[YY1]

It's all a play to turn money into more money.

Do what you can to emulate the "winners" as long as you understand what you are doing.

That includes using downturns as buying opportunities.

"They" will not screw themselves out of this money printing mechanism.

They just shift it around so it's harder to understand.

 

[Hey-O]

Inflation can be used as a tool for less than scrupulous companies (who thinks there are companies with scruples?) to increase profits.

The ones I want to see get beat into the ground are real estate agents and title companies. For years the land on the water at the lake of the ozarks has not been held back to the 17 foot easement. Hundreds of homes, condos and restaurants are all less than the setback. After finding out that the title companies have been letting it slide and have bought off on it for decades the problem has surfaced. They said it was late to move all the buildings and let the title company off the hook. If that had been you and me, we be screwed. Politics as its best.

 

[68BabyBlue]

Inflation can be used as a tool for less than scrupulous companies (who thinks there are companies with scruples?) to increase profits.

I don't consider myself unscrupulous, but I got a 60% rate increase with my primary shipper in 2022, after demand for trucking spiked when the economy re-opened. Then I sold the truck for nearly what I had paid for it in 2006. My profit for my last eight months of work was triple what I earned in all of 2020. Supply and demand. I always said trucking rates would get strong after years of declines, when the driver supply started to dry up as baby boomers aged out. I was right, but by that time I had become part of the rapidly aging exodus.

 

[#41]

So with so many World Economies in trouble, Record Inflation, Corporations Laying Off Employee's, Shrinking Product Size, and Our Government Giving Away $$$ it Doesn't Have, Everyone seems to Believe the Market is Fantastic ? Since we are in the Most Important Election of Our Lifetime, and the Current Admin has been Floundering on All Fronts, does Anyone See the possibility that the Market is just Camoflage, to cover Reality ? If the Market was Not doing Well, would the Admin in Place have Anything to Boost Them ? Remember who Owns it All, Blackrock, Vanguard, and Stateside, who in turn are In Bed with the Central Banks ? I'm in No Way saying "Don't make the $$ while you can", just Be Aware "things are not always as they appear". We are still fully in on Our Invests, and Up by some very nice #'s, but Remember, it's All just figures on Erasable Paper...

We do not have "record" inflation, though we all certainly hope it gets another point and half+ lower. It has been way, way worse in our lifetimes. Corporations are always laying off and it makes for good headlines... but current overall employment numbers are actually pretty good. The Govt, with only a few exceptions, has run deficits for practically our entire lifetimes. Every election is the "most important ever" since it the phrase was coined. So the reality is that many things are improving and returning to a condition we might call "more of the same".

There are certainly challenges ahead with the deficit growth over the past two administrations, growing entitlements, etc., but there is growing optimism than the ship is righting and not sinking. This is being reflected in the market.

 

[VANDAN]

We do not have "record" inflation, though we all certainly hope it gets another point and half+ lower. It has been way, way worse in our lifetimes. Corporations are always laying off and it makes for good headlines... but current overall employment numbers are actually pretty good. The Govt, with only a few exceptions, has run deficits for practically our entire lifetimes. Every election is the "most important ever" since it the phrase was coined. So the reality is that many things are improving and returning to a condition we might call "more of the same".

There are certainly challenges ahead with the deficit growth over the past two administrations, growing entitlements, etc., but there is growing optimism than the ship is righting and not sinking. This is being reflected in the market.

Really ? I guess I must be missing that, since We don't watch MSM ???

 

[Ron H]

Really ? I guess I must be missing that, since We don't watch MSM ???

Oly chit, is the news you're getting, the actual true news I gather, showing the markets tanking? Lemme know so I can sell my stocks.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

LMAO! Yes, and never saw a luggage rack on a hearse. (Got that from a country tune lyric)

I think Don Henley said that first in the song "New York Minute". Good quote.

 

[YY1]

My point was-

Let's say you're a large company that sells a product.

Your operating costs for whatever reason (labor, cost of raw materials, etc), goes up 20%.

How does the consumer ever know that your 35% price increase, coupled with a 5% reduction in the amount of product sold in the same packaging...

...is legitimately due to "passing along" the increased costs or not?