Quote from Bigpipn:
If you don't think we could go under a 5 handle on the ES just look at the Nikkei.
Whether you want to believe it or not, our economy is in much worse shape than their economy ever was. 60% of our GDP is based on consumer spending, we manufacture nothing.
This entire economy was based on endless credit expansion. We will not see the same level of economic growth (it wasn't really growth, it was artificial demand created by credit which drove up asset prices so we could obtain more credit/leverage on these phony asset valuations) for years, maybe even decades to come. This place could turn into an economic wasteland once we bring all the troops home without jobs.
SPX 200 is possible with 70% tax rates, 20% unemployment and 8 quarters of -GDP.