Dow Jones performance 2011

[RecycleMichael]

I saw the Dow Jones Industrial average has had five winning weeks in a row and finished today at 12,231.11. That makes it about 4% ahead for the year (January 3 of 2011  11,670.11). To begin the political fight I will also mention that when Barack Obama became President on January 20,2009 the Dow was 8,077.56.

4% for the year with two months to go ain't stellar, but it is better than losing ground on investments. The banks are offering 1% if you are lucky on 12 month CDs. 

I believe that an bull market to end the year really helps people spend that little extra for Christmas and can help turn the economy around.

[guido911]

I saw the Dow Jones Industrial average has had five winning weeks in a row and finished today at 12,231.11. That makes it about 4% ahead for the year (January 3 of 2011  11,670.11). To begin the political fight I will also mention that when Barack Obama became President on January 20,2009 the Dow was 8,077.56.

4% for the year with two months to go ain't stellar, but it is better than losing ground on investments. The banks are offering 1% if you are lucky on 12 month CDs. 

I believe that an bull market to end the year really helps people spend that little extra for Christmas and can help turn the economy around.

You know RM, give Barack all the credit. I don't care right now because I have been having to lube up at the end of each month this year..

[Teatownclown]

You know RM, give Barack all the credit. I don't care right now because I have been having to lube up at the end of each month this year..

Do you enjoy that?

Maybe you should get yourself a financial adviser....or quit being so paranoid of POTUS OBAMA....just think what the market might have done had the GOP/Teabaggers not messed with people's confidence in the future. Shameful.

[heironymouspasparagus]

You know RM, give Barack all the credit. I don't care right now because I have been having to lube up at the end of each month this year..

Which means you have been doing spectacularly well!

Vastly better than the other 99%!

Should we all say "boo hoo", or will a simple "poor baby" suffice??  We could combine a pity party with a masonite party!!  I'll bring some beer!

[guido911]

Which means you have been doing spectacularly well!

Vastly better than the other 99%!

Should we all say "boo hoo", or will a simple "poor baby" suffice??  We could combine a pity party with a masonite party!!  I'll bring some beer!

Let's do it!!!

[heironymouspasparagus]

Let's do it!!!

Red, you ready?  Beer and demolition!!!  It don't get any better than that!

[RecycleMichael]

The Dow started the month of September in 2012 well. Normally, September is a down month for the stock market but I believe this year will be different. The Dow is up 5000 points (61%) since Obama took office and I believe that this week it will gain 400 or 500 more.

The economy is strong.

[Ed W]

The Dow started the month of September in 2012 well. Normally, September is a down month for the stock market but I believe this year will be different. The Dow is up 5000 points (61%) since Obama took office and I believe that this week it will gain 400 or 500 more.

The economy is strong.

Why does a strong economy add jobs so slowly, Michael?  The job report last week said that 94,000 were added in August, but that didn't keep up with population growth.  This is utter speculation, but could it be that employers are waiting to see the outcome of the November election before making hiring decisions?

[heironymouspasparagus]

The Dow started the month of September in 2012 well. Normally, September is a down month for the stock market but I believe this year will be different. The Dow is up 5000 points (61%) since Obama took office and I believe that this week it will gain 400 or 500 more.

The economy is strong.

Unless you are a Republicontin...


Ed, a lot of it has to do with NAFTA and all the other initiatives past over the last 30 years to encourage outsourcing to other countries.  Part of it is election.  But we have added 40,000 + in last 2 1/2 years and there is still quite a few open - and they are on hold now, too.  Waiting for elections is my guess.

[Red Arrow]

Why does a strong economy add jobs so slowly, Michael?  The job report last week said that 94,000 were added in August, but that didn't keep up with population growth.  This is utter speculation, but could it be that employers are waiting to see the outcome of the November election before making hiring decisions?

Who hacked Ed W's account?

[Red Arrow]

The Dow started the month of September in 2012 well. Normally, September is a down month for the stock market but I believe this year will be different. The Dow is up 5000 points (61%) since Obama took office and I believe that this week it will gain 400 or 500 more.

The economy is strong.

http://stockcharts.com/freecharts/historical/djia2000.html

[Teatownclown]

Why does a strong economy add jobs so slowly, Michael?  The job report last week said that 94,000 were added in August, but that didn't keep up with population growth.  This is utter speculation, but could it be that employers are waiting to see the outcome of the November election before making hiring decisions?

Slow growth handicaps job creation as the world economy re-calibrates and the Euro stabilizes . I don't think the election figures that much into market confidence. The Fed controls this world stabilization. As there eventually develops an inflationary cycle, you will witness faster growth and hence solid job creation. Trade offs are hell but we will see higher equity markets albeit less irrational and less exuberance.

Any new historic event can harm confidence. This market reminds me of the 60's and the 70's (until we had to pay for Vietnam and inflation went wild). By Reagan's second term, confidence drove the market thanks to Volkers ability to raise rates and stop inflation in the early 80's. This time around The Fed will raise the rates from %3 not 13%. And if there are no hiccups then the Fed will raise rates slowly over many years with an expanding world economy. I think the opportunity of huge gains over short terms has become less possible, but then so is the chance of collapse.

[RecycleMichael]

Why does a strong economy add jobs so slowly, Michael?  The job report last week said that 94,000 were added in August, but that didn't keep up with population growth.  This is utter speculation, but could it be that employers are waiting to see the outcome of the November election before making hiring decisions?

Maybe it is because they want to keep the profits and ship jobs overseas. Corporate profits are at an all-time high.

I think the jobless numbers are because certain CEOs don't like the democrats/Obama. The first month he took office saw 800,000 jobs lost. This was before he had any time to implement any policies. They won't hire and are willing to wait it out hoping Romney is elected.

I also think that the Dow Jones is where many of the people in their 60s have their pensions. When the Dow does well, many of them retire.

[Ed W]

Who hacked Ed W's account?

It's a serious question, Red, not an attempt to be snide or snarky.  Profits are up, but jobs are being added slowly.  I'll tell you frankly that I'm not conversant in finance and economy matters.  I blundered through Econ101 and don't remember a bit of it.  Her name was Laurie.  She sat right beside me and...well, never mind.

Sometimes we're too quick to pull the politics-is-responsible-for-everything trigger.  I'm trying to avoid that. 

[Red Arrow]

It's a serious question, Red, not an attempt to be snide or snarky.  Profits are up, but jobs are being added slowly.  I'll tell you frankly that I'm not conversant in finance and economy matters.  I blundered through Econ101 and don't remember a bit of it.  Her name was Laurie.  She sat right beside me and...well, never mind.
Sometimes we're too quick to pull the politics-is-responsible-for-everything trigger.  I'm trying to avoid that. 

Too bad about Laurie (unless she is your wife, in which case congratulations).

I think that perhaps companies have been able to extract more work from their employees due to the low potential of the employees being able to find a better job elsewhere.  More output from the same employee count = no or fewer new hires.   As the economy improves, and I believe it will regardless of who is elected President, overworked employees will be able to find better opportunities and be able to say "take this job and shove it".