Home About Archives RSS Feed

@theMarket: Market's New Highs Are No Surprise

By Bill SchmickiBerkshires Columnist

Here we are just days after the latest attempt by our government to scuttle the financial markets and the averages are making new historical highs. Investors should expect more of the same as long as the Federal Reserve keeps pumping money into the financial system.

While the politicians, aided by the media machine, continue to construct one wall of worry after another, you my dear reader must stay above this daily to and fro. You must keep your eye on the ball. The ball in this case is the $85 billion per month that the Fed continues to push into the financial system.

"Taper," a word that saw the stock markets swoon and interest rates soar is no longer on the front burner; at least not this year, thanks to the latest deficit/debt debacle out of Washington. Back in September, at the Fed's FOMC meeting, Chairman Ben Bernanke had said that tapering was off the table for now due to a slowing economy (thanks to the Sequester) and possible fallout from the upcoming deficit/debt talks. The latest economic data indicates that this little charade out of D.C. will cost $25 billion and shave almost 0.08 percent off fourth-quarter GDP growth. Once again the Fed got it right.

Many on Wall Street tend to want to outguess the Fed. That is a mistake. They are the most wired-in group of financiers in the world. When they talk, it is better to just listen because they are right more often than not. Therefore, when Ben tells me no taper, I have to stay bullish on the markets. This is not rocket science, folks.

You see, the Fed controls the stock and bond markets. It has been so ever since the financial crisis. Many investors continue to make the mistake of thinking the stock market and the economy are one and the same. In times past (pre-financial crisis) that may have been so. Since then however, the Fed has followed an unrelenting monetary policy of stimulus. Although it has been only marginally effective in growing the economy and employment, it has done wonders for the stock market.

It wasn't supposed to work that way. It was supposed to be a team effort. The Fed has been hoping against hope that the U.S. government would follow their lead and use all the fiscal stimulus at their disposal to get the economy growing again. Instead, our politicians have done just the opposite. Since 2010, the government has done everything in their power to sabotage the economy. Today, with our political system in complete disarray, the Fed is the only game in town.

We now have over five years of historical experience of what happens to the stock markets when the Fed stimulates. Ask yourself, has anything changed? There is no need for second guessing here. When I told you that we would not get into a shooting war with Syria, did you listen? Over the past few weeks, when I advised you to ignore the Washington circus because it would end in an 11th hour deal, did you take heart?

Oh ye of little faith, stop focusing on these mundane issues that have little or nothing to do with the performance of your portfolio. We are going to new highs in the markets; enough said.

Bill Schmick is registered as an investment adviser representative with Berkshire Money Management. Bill’s forecasts and opinions are purely his own. None of the information presented here should be construed as an endorsement of BMM or a solicitation to become a client of BMM. Direct inquires to Bill at 1-888-232-6072 (toll free) or email him at Bill@afewdollarsmore.com.

     

Support Local News

We show up at hurricanes, budget meetings, high school games, accidents, fires and community events. We show up at celebrations and tragedies and everything in between. We show up so our readers can learn about pivotal events that affect their communities and their lives.

How important is local news to you? You can support independent, unbiased journalism and help iBerkshires grow for as a little as the cost of a cup of coffee a week.

News Headlines
Downtown Pittsfield Announces Holiday Downtown Passport
North Adams Recreation Center Opens Long-Closed Pool
Clarksburg Joining Drug Prevention Coalition
Pittsfield Road Cut Moratorium
Adams Lions Club Makes Anniversary Donations
2nd Street Second Chances Receives Mass Sheriffs Association Award
Swann, Williams College Harriers Compete at NCAA Championships
MassDOT Advisory: South County Road Work
ACB College Financial Aid Event
The Nutcracker At The Colonial Theater
 
 


Categories:
@theMarket (509)
Independent Investor (452)
Retired Investor (217)
Archives:
November 2024 (6)
November 2023 (1)
October 2024 (9)
September 2024 (7)
August 2024 (9)
July 2024 (8)
June 2024 (7)
May 2024 (10)
April 2024 (6)
March 2024 (7)
February 2024 (8)
January 2024 (8)
December 2023 (9)
Tags:
Economy Greece Japan Election Recession Retirement Jobs Bailout Energy Crisis Interest Rates Banks Stock Market Fiscal Cliff Currency Taxes Unemployment Commodities Stocks Qeii Debt President Deficit Rally Selloff Stimulus Markets Europe Congress Metals Pullback Federal Reserve Euro Oil Debt Ceiling
Popular Entries:
The Independent Investor: Don't Fight the Fed
Independent Investor: Europe's Banking Crisis
@theMarket: Let the Good Times Roll
The Independent Investor: Japan — The Sun Is Beginning to Rise
Independent Investor: Enough Already!
@theMarket: Let Silver Be A Lesson
Independent Investor: What To Expect After a Waterfall Decline
@theMarket: One Down, One to Go
@theMarket: 707 Days
The Independent Investor: And Now For That Deficit
Recent Entries:
@theMarket: Stocks Should Climb into Thanksgiving
The Retired Investor: Thanksgiving Dinner May Be Slightly Cheaper This Year
@theMarket: Profit-Taking Trims Post-Election Gains
The Retired Investor: Jailhouse Stocks
The Retired Investor: The Trump Trades
@theMarket: Will Election Fears Trigger More Downside
The Retired Investor: Betting on Elections Comes of Age
@theMarket: Election Unknowns Keep Markets on Edge
The Retired Investor: Natural Diamonds Take Back Seat to Lab-Grown Stones
@theMarket: As Election Approaches, Markets' Volatility Should Increase