Economic News/Discussion

[jimzinsocal]

^^So it raises an interesting question for even well informed investors: Do I dump what I own? And then what? I recognize its a stock bubble not brought on by company "value" but rather a function of the FED messing with cheap money.
What I suppose many will do is split up holdings. Sell some % and hold some %.
No way is the price justified really.

[Nate]

^^So it raises an interesting question for even well informed investors: Do I dump what I own? And then what? I recognize its a stock bubble not brought on by company "value" but rather a function of the FED messing with cheap money.
What I suppose many will do is split up holdings. Sell some % and hold some %.
No way is the price justified really.

We bought land last month. So if all this fake money vanishes (<-- read that a few times and scratch your head), we'll at least have a deed in hand.

[kbohip]

^^So it raises an interesting question for even well informed investors: Do I dump what I own? And then what? I recognize its a stock bubble not brought on by company "value" but rather a function of the FED messing with cheap money.
What I suppose many will do is split up holdings. Sell some % and hold some %.
No way is the price justified really.

Wish I knew what to tell you Jim. Maybe this article can shine a bit of light on the subject.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/new...ing-2013-03-05

[jimzinsocal]

I read that earlier. Its a funny thing with unnatural "bubbles" like stock prices. One side of our brain tells us dont be an idiot and go "all in" while the less rational side whispers "dont be a sap you chump..stay at the table until direction changes". In the end tho Ill keep what I have since none of them were really purchased for short term. The bulk actually is in a fairly immune (to bubbles) company 3M.

This you guys need to see to appreciate. Makes you wonder just how tight fisted and silly some folks can be: I have 2 million stashed away in cash or near cash...can I spend some?
Me: No dont spend a dime. Have the funeral director that is in charge of your exit party build a secret compartment for cash and collectables. You freaking moron.

http://money.cnn.com/video/pf/2013/0...l?iid=HP_River

[BlackDragon24]

So the DOW is up to a record high....people are predicting its only going to go higher.

As Maddow put it last night, Barrack Obama is the worst Socialist....evah.

[Keven]

So the DOW is up to a record high....people are predicting its only going to go higher.

As Maddow put it last night, Barrack Obama is the worst Socialist....evah.

But unemployement is still high, and consumer confidence and spending are still low. Walmart's revenue dropped 30% in January because of the payroll tax increase. So, the fat cat bankers on Wall Street that everybody hates are doing ok but nobody else.

At least everybody will have a nice 401k for when Social Security collapses.

It is kinda funny how lefties have changed their tune. I remember back in 2003 and 2004 lefties I knew claiming that "GEORGE W. BUSH HAS CREATED A SOFT ECONOMY" and I argued that the Dow had covered from post-9/11 lows and they were like "That means nothing! It's still bad for the poors!"

And now it's 10 years later and a Democrat is arguing for the Dow being good and I'm arguing that it doesn't mean anything. Ay-ay-ay!

[BlackDragon24]

But unemployement is still high, and consumer confidence and spending are still low. Walmart's revenue dropped 30% in January because of the payroll tax increase. So, the fat cat bankers on Wall Street that everybody hates are doing ok but nobody else.

At least everybody will have a nice 401k for when Social Security collapses.

It is kinda funny how lefties have changed their tune. I remember back in 2003 and 2004 lefties I knew claiming that "GEORGE W. BUSH HAS CREATED A SOFT ECONOMY" and I argued that the Dow had covered from post-9/11 lows and they were like "That means nothing! It's still bad for the poors!"

And now it's 10 years later and a Democrat is arguing for the Dow being good and I'm arguing that it doesn't mean anything. Ay-ay-ay!

I don't think the DOW being that high is necessarily a good or bad thing...just sayin' that if Barrack Obama was a Socialist, we probably would not be seeing the stock market at its highest levels ever. Seeing as the stock market is, you know, sort of the capitalist's wet dream.

[Dutchcedar]

I don't think the DOW being that high is necessarily a good or bad thing...just sayin' that if Barrack Obama was a Socialist, we probably would not be seeing the stock market at its highest levels ever. Seeing as the stock market is, you know, sort of the capitalist's wet dream.

Are you suggesting that watered down money is not a socialist remedy?

[BlackDragon24]

Are you suggesting that watered down money is not a socialist remedy?

No, I'm not suggesting that.

I'm suggesting that the so-called socialist in the WH is now presiding over an economy with the highest DOW evah. Which IMHO makes him the worst socialist evah.

[Keven]

No, I'm not suggesting that.

I'm suggesting that the so-called socialist in the WH is now presiding over an economy with the highest DOW evah. Which IMHO makes him the worst socialist evah.

If the fed rate had been at normal levels in the past 4 years, where would the Dow be?

[SteveW]

No, I'm not suggesting that.

I'm suggesting that the so-called socialist in the WH is now presiding over an economy with the highest DOW evah. Which IMHO makes him the worst socialist evah.

Numbers are artifically inflated based upon devaluation of our currency. They mean nothing positive. Housing still tanked, uenemployment numbers unacceptably high, after 4+ years. The real indicator of the health or lack thereof of the US or any economy is the Prime Interest rate and it ain't good - there is no incentive for growth, no gains in saving money, therefore little or no money to invest.

[jimzinsocal]

Here we are again with another Thursday Pink Slip Report

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 340,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 347,000. The 4-week moving average was 348,750, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 355,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending February 23, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending February 23 was 3,094,000, an increase of 3,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,091,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,121,750, a decrease of 37,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,159,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 333,389 in the week ending March 2, an increase of 23,198 from the previous week. There were 368,433 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.8 percent during the week ending February 23, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,589,315, an increase of 52,854 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,536,461. A year earlier, the rate was 3.2 percent and the volume was 3,988,890.The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending February 16 was 5,401,893, a decrease of 362,275 from the previous week. There were 7,387,649 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.

[jimzinsocal]

Ill be back later to post about details but here we are. Bottom line is fairly good news. 7.7%

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

[jimzinsocal]

^^History will make a strange note with the rate dropping: Unemployment rate drops as Federal Government struggles with less spending.

Some comment on the "guts"

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-0...yment-rate-sli


The New "Normal"

http://www.aei-ideas.org/2013/03/to-...ormal-economy/

[jimzinsocal]

Right out of a Dicken's novel. Average cost of a wedding? 28K +

http://money.cnn.com/2013/03/10/pf/w...l?iid=HP_River