Tag Archives: stock market

Many investors believe the market will rise if the economy is growing and sink if it's shrinking but that is the wrong way to think about it. Instead, the real focus should be on whether the economy is growing at a slow pace or a moderate pace. Indeed, with 2% growth, the stock market could steadily fall. Yet with 3% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, the market could surge. The difference between 2% and 3% may not seem like much, but it is. [Let me explain.] Words: 730

A market is not built solely on fundamental realities, but how broadly those realities are expected by investors. So it goes without saying that it can be very insightful to compare market expectations to reality. When expectations are high there is the likelihood for disappointment. When expectations are low there is a potential for upside surprise. There is actually an index that measures the relationship between economic reality and crowd expectations. It is the Citigroup Economic Surprise Index (CESI). [Let's take a look at what it is saying these days.] Words: 773

From a historical standpoint, the dividend yield of 2% on the S&P 500 is too low. It smacks of a stock market top and underscores the point that the market is too optimistic in the sense that investors are willing to forgo yield because they assume that they will get the return via the capital gain. The last time S&P yields were around this level was in the summer of 2000, and we know what happened shortly after that! Words: 888

There are plenty of reasons to be concerned about the U.S. economy in 2011 [but not for U.S. stocks if the history of] the Presidential Cycle is any indication. The third year of a president’s [four year] term is typically the strongest producing an average annual gain of 14.12% for the S&P 500 and, under Democratic leadership, that number moves even higher to an average gain of 17.7%! Words: 436

Larry Edelson's proprietary cycle analyses suggests that we could experience declines in the Dow 30 and S&P 500 to 9,000 and 1,000, respectively, by April of 2011; a potential decline in the price of gold to as low as $1126 by August of 2011 and a decline in the price of crude oil to as low as $69 next year - before taking off to record highs. Words: 781

In spite of the continuing ascent of the stock market we are not in a perfectly bullish scenario because a major concern going forward is whether or not the Bush tax cuts will be extended. I am of the opinion that they will be, because if they are not, then the markets will have a very ugly December.

Wealth protection is now more important than probably at any other time in history. Physical gold and possibly other precious metals directly controlled by the investor will be a vital part of a wealth preservation portfolio. Words: 1614

The market basically doesn't want a recovery right now. It loves high unemployment and a bad economy because it allows the Fed to keep rates at zero which is highly profitable for Wall St via the games that I described above. Of course our crippled economy is an absolute nightmare for the rest of us as we lose our jobs and our homes as Rome continues to burn. Words: 1248

The only, truly accurate and profitable way to invest in the markets is to understand and quantify the markets differing personalities, which is what the rigorous study of market cycles does for you. Right now, for instance, although we are starting to see more negative news come to the forefront (as compared to the last nine or 10 months where the market was rallying), I can assure, the negative news you are hearing will pale in comparison to the news that will come out in the months ahead as the 40-month cycle for stocks turns down. Words: 1065

Most investors didn’t take warnings about the future of the economy and the financial marketplace - warnings that a ‘Category 6 Fiscal Storm’, a ‘Debt-Driven Meltdown’, a ‘Systemic Banking Crisis’, a ‘Financial Train Wreck’, a ‘God-Awful Fiscal Storm’, etc. was in store for the U.S. - seriously until it began. Perhaps this time around, before the other shoe drops, we should become more informed so we will be better positioned to survive and prosper regardless of what comes next. Words: 2128