Quote from ByLoSellHi:
If only they'd gone in as of March?
As in, if only they timed the market perfectly, just prior to their retirement?
As in, there won't be a absolutely substantial equity market correction in the near term, as the economic fundamentals absolutely continue to deteriorate, and equity p/e ratios are well ahead of the terrible economic fundamentals, forecasting a lot of hope, if not prayers.
There was a bank in my country (Fortis). More then 200 years old and trough a series of acquisitions one of Europes new banking giants with a stockprice of +30 Euro a share not more then a year or 2 ago.
The most widespread stock in my country from pension funds to retirees, teachers, the royal family, housewives and nuns.
As good as government bonds but the stock offers a higher yield.
Anyway, to cut the story short they kept saying everything was AOK, then Lehman failed and creditmarkets shut, turns out they were sitting on a huge pile of shit, the group was partially nationalised, partially sold to BNP Paribas.
Stockholders holding the bag at 0.50 euro a share for some unsellable toxic CDO's and 20% of the insurance company.
Today the stock is at 2.60.
That's a 400% rise in 6 months and I know both personally a whole range of people who bought bellow 1 euro as there are many people on messageboards who have made the same decission to buy cheap even though 'the fundamentals were badly deteriorated.
So you have the majority of the population brutaly awakened to the notion that what they thought to be safe wasnt that safe in reality and you have a minority who gained from betting against the odds.
Harsh but hasnt this been the way it has always been?
And now the population is on a saving binge because at least that way you will get to keep your money.
Has the herd became savy at last?