With all the bad stuff that has come down the pike at this time of year, plus a major election year, is this the time to invest in the market? I realize that this is a broad brush type of question, yet I think it's a good one to consider. So very many variables--should I just park it and go to sleep? Or should I open an account in mscfx and pray to the appropriate chieftain? As George Carlin once said, "Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body." Does this mean that ol' George eschewed any form of investing, but habitually taped his lunch to various parts of his body?
Comments
As for George, if you read his autobiography the man was an incredible jerk but oh was he funny. I've often wondered how these tortured souls tormented by demons of their own making pull it off. A shame.
As for whether or not to invest during this time period, I'm not, but I'm also not selling, either - there will be volatility, but I can sleep fairly well with things yielding 4-5-6%, flexible funds (Marketfield - MFLDX, for example) and hedges. There will absolutely be volatility. Significant downside will be met - I believe - with Fed action. I'm not saying I agree with it, I'm just saying that's how I view it. Stay invested at your comfort level, which is really only something that you can know.
October: This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August and February.
Mark Twain
If past history was all there was to the game, the richest people would be librarians.
Warren Buffett
But then again:
The four most dangerous words in investing are 'This time it's different'.
John Templeton