You want more proof, just wait 2 weeks and your eyes are going to pop out of your head.

THANK CLINTON.......we are toast and nothing can stop it.

NOTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DON'T TELL ME...YOU WILL KNOW......SOOOOON

-- YOU KNOW (you.know@who.this.is), May 10, 2000

Answers

Go long on shopping cart futures.

-- - (x@xxx.com), May 10, 2000.

GL,

Although I actually agree with some of your views, you are doing a disservice to those whom you wish to help with all the grandstanding.

Why not post some calm, thoughtful reasons for your views, and engage in rational debate about them? It would certainly be more effective.

-- Flash (flash@flash.hq), May 10, 2000.

In two weeks our eyes are going to pop out .

-- justin (justlucky@aol.com), May 10, 2000.

justin -

Only if we've stopped reading and thinking. The signs of a significant correction (if not worse) are all there. Fundamental market analysts have been screaming about triple-digit valuations for at least a year now. Technical analysts have recently spotted a rare and classic "diamond pattern" (signifying a major market top) in the 2-year chart for the Dow.

Folks looking for a "trigger event" may need look no further than the sheer ineptitude of the Euro bankers in supporting that currency. Remember the Russian ruble crisis and the Long Term Capital Management fiasco? Russia's economy is dwarfed by the Euro market. If they screw up the Euro, it'll make recent crises like Mexico, Asia, and Russia look like holidays.

-- DeeEmBee (macbeth1@pacbell.net), May 10, 2000.

Dee:

Does this mean that YOU KNOW is right? I am asking in sincerety because I know squat about the market, just that hubby joined 401k at work and they invest...

thanks.

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), May 10, 2000.

consumer -

Assuming that your hubby's company has good managers running the 401(k) plan and that the asset allocation is reasonably conservative, you have little to worry about. The folks who should be concerned are all the "high-flyers" who bet the house on Tech and have been crowing about all the money they made in the last few years. For example, most members of last year's Century Club (funds which produced 100% returns) are now in negative territory. Far too many people have chosen to leverage themselves to the hilt to get into the market and are now increasingly likely to pay a high price for that decision.

We've been through recessions before. They're part of the business cycle and they teach us valuable lessons. Not to worry.

-- DeeEmBee (macbeth1@pacbell.net), May 10, 2000.

consumer,

I disagree with Dee. From the top of the market in 1929, it took the Dow Jones Industrial Average until 1954 to get back to even. The market is MORE expensive now. Be worried about money that you already have in the market.

-- J (Y2J@home.comm), May 10, 2000.

Dee: Thanks for the info. My hubby recently (perhaps a month ago) just put a percentage in 401k, no matching from company either. He went with the mid-range (you know what i mean) kind of risky to me.

He went negative for a lil bit, but leveled itself out.

J: Thanks for your concern, but Dee is IMHO very experienced in this, has linked many posts regarding the subject and her opinion is one to be valued.

FWIW, I agree we are headed for some difficult financial times, I work in the Insurance Industry, and it is one indicator of such, again IMHO. Times of 'soft market' for business policies is slowly coming to an end....and we know what that means...can anyone say HIGHER premiums?

I can. I am not a doom mongrel no more, too many other things to worry about, like ya said Dee, we'll make it thru, seen hard times before. I was around for the 70's and 80's.

humblest thanks and regards.

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), May 10, 2000.

consumer,

I am sorry that you don't value my opinion on the matter. I agree that Dee seems to be right on top of the market, I just disagree that it will be OK as we head into a recession. Previous recessions have caused market downturns, but the market has NEVER been this expensive before.

There is a reason that a whole generation would never again invest in the stock market after 1929. In my opinion, we will see that kind of drop again. Only it will probably be worse.

-- J (Y2J@home.comm), May 10, 2000.

J: You misunderstood me, I do believe the market is going to drop, badly....when? who knows? I heard a preacher prophecy this awhile back, said it would go way up and drop, it made hairs on my arms raise.

He walked the walk and lived it, therefore i believe him...

BTW, J, try to be thicker skinned to be on this board, most here are good folks.....and I have enjoyed your debates, just dont take it personal.

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), May 10, 2000.

consumer,

I have very thick skin. I take very little personally. It's just the way that I am put together. I, too, enjoy the debates here, that is why I still come back.

If you think the market is going to drop big, why would you go into it?

Don't believe the "I am investing for the long haul, so valuations don't matter", nonsense. It is true one should invest for the long term, but when valuations on most stocks are this high, it is most prudent, IMO, to be out of stocks. Anyway, good luck with the investing.

-- J (Y2J@home.comm), May 10, 2000.

Although I personally believe that the current equities market is over valued, I'm not at all sure when the correction will wll occur.

Where else do fund managers have to go? Until the baby boomers begin to pull their funds back to bonds and T bills, the cash infusion of the markets will continue. The big question for me is when the baby boomers will draw funds out of the equity markets (keeping pace with inflation) for the security of the bonds and T bills.

Until retirement funds are realigned for stable, low interest, secure cash flows, the current climate will continue, in my opinion.

I think forecasting when the sea change occurs will create the real winners and losers in this market environment. I think the real change in investment strategy will occur between 2007 and 2010.

Anybody else want to share their guesses?

JCC

-- Greybeard7 (Wolverine_in_NC@hotmail.com), May 10, 2000.

Greybeard7,

The correction has already started. As of today's close, the Nasdaq Composite is 33% off its closing high reached on March 10, 2000. The Dow Jones Industrial is 11.5% off its closing high reached on January 14, 2000. The correction is past tense, when is the crash?

-- J (Y2J@home.comm), May 11, 2000.

when is the crash?

By the end of this month.

-- LunaC (LunaC@LunaC.com), May 11, 2000.

J: to answer your question, I didnt go into the market, the hubby did, as his wife, I submit. It is his money also. FWIW, I put 25.00 per month into an IRA here at my job, it is going into S&P gurantees me 3%, minor amount, not worried about 'losing it'.

As for the hubby and da market, again, we have a good savings account going on and I am not worried about losing that either.

I am not going to stress out over the market, Why? Because I belive we will survive. Always have, there WAS a time I lived on melba toast and snacks mom brought home from work, all food we had!!!

But, we survived and God took care of us. I may not be living right, but I still believe.

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), May 11, 2000.

consumer,

That's cool.

I'll probably get blasted for saying this(not by you), but we would have a lot fewer divorces and all the troubles that go with them, if more wives would submit to their husbands, AND(especially) more husbands would lay down their lives for their wives.

-- J (Y2J@home.comm), May 11, 2000.

That's right, J, you male chauvenist pig. You will be blasted. Should the millions of victims of domestic violence submit to their husbands? Should the women who are not being paid simple child support have submitted to their husbands? Men have run the world for how long and look at the shape it is in-is this what you want more of J?

You are incredible, I must say. What a joy you must be around the campfire. Being male does not confer upon you sufficient wisdom to run the life of anybody or have ANY adult submit to your right-wing, fundamental christian nonsense.

As in your responses on other threads, I am sure you will flame right back-that's okay. But your words speak for you. What a bunch of utter nonsense.

-- FutureShock (gray@matter.think), May 11, 2000.

FS: You know i been keeping out of the flame wars lately, but its easy to see how pissed you are...did you see the end of J's quote?

The reason I choose to submit, is because my husband is THE KIND WHO WOULD LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR ME. To me, that is special...no way in hell would I ever submit to some idiot who'd womp on me or wouldnt get a job.

just my 10 cents worth.....

-- consumer (shh@aol.com), May 11, 2000.

So what, the stock market goes up and down. Big hairy deal. Overinflated? Perhaps. Risky? Definitely. That's what prudent investors diversify.

Anyway, the market wouldn't be so volatile in the first place from Prime Rate increases if the Federal Reserve didn't create money out of thin air and sell it for a profit. This is an inherently inflationary practice and turns the banking system into a house of cards. There's got to be a better way to borrow and loan money...

-- coprolith (jacothecat@yahoo.com), May 17, 2000.

Well, it seems that even a State Governor has concerns about the stock market. Last week, Governor Taft was being interviewed on TV about Ohio's state school funding program losing an extremely important court battle. What got my attention was when Taft was speaking about restructuring school funding and said "if the current boom economy continues".

It looks like we're not the only ones who are concerned.

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), May 17, 2000.