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IRL (In Real Life) => Current Events => Topic started by: solops on October 31, 2020, 04:35:08 PM

Title: Stock Market and the Economy
Post by: solops on October 31, 2020, 04:35:08 PM
I have not seen any discussion of the market and the economy in a long while. It is hard to discuss without devolving into politics. I foresee problems no matter how the election turns out with the possibility of a real disaster if one side in particular wins. Since I am retired and cannot afford a disaster, I sold all of my retirement stocks on Oct 13, with the exception of a few utilities. I kept my bond position, which was pretty small to begin with. I cannot imagine buying back into the market until 2021, possibly late second qtr. I have one child looking for a job and another graduates in a year. It could be ugly.

So, forget the mouth and where is YOUR money?
Title: Re: Stock Market and the Economy
Post by: Gusington on October 31, 2020, 04:46:03 PM
I've been tracking my 401k and it has been going up and down like crazy. Since I am 46 I have an 'aggressive' investment plan but may change that and calm down in a few years. Fortunately I also have a pension.
Title: Re: Stock Market and the Economy
Post by: airboy on October 31, 2020, 04:54:53 PM
I assume my wife will live to be 100.  My target is 60/40 stocks/bonds.  Since bond yields are so low I've been holding cash for the bond part.  I also convert my fixed pension to a bond asset in portfolio weighting using a not terribly difficult calculation.

If I'm alive 20 years from now I'll be surprised.
Title: Re: Stock Market and the Economy
Post by: Sir Slash on October 31, 2020, 11:04:44 PM
My Financial guy talked me into putting retirement Nest Egg in an IRA that earns less interest but can never fall below my initial sum I invested. It's a no-lose bet.  O0
Title: Re: Stock Market and the Economy
Post by: solops on November 01, 2020, 01:22:04 AM
Quote from: airboy on October 31, 2020, 04:54:53 PM

If I'm alive 20 years from now I'll be surprised.
Reminds me of the philosophy of life insurance: The earlier you die, the Bigger you Win!
Title: Re: Stock Market and the Economy
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on November 01, 2020, 03:33:28 AM
I sold all my individual stocks about 5 years ago because I was getting obsessed with their performance and found myself checking my phone 10+ times an hour.  I switched to ETFs and some mutual funds and was seeing kinda meh returns (~4%/yr on one and 6% on the other).  All my gains to date got wiped this year.  Covid tanked them but they then gained back a bit over the year but then tanked again a few weeks ago based on more lock downs and election uncertainty.

Fortunately, I started tossing a portion of my paycheque into Bitcoin each month about the same time I sold my stocks and I'm up about 300% on that.  I spent my mid 20s to md 30s bumming around the globe for low pay and having a great time.  I see those as my retirement years.  Now I gotta work til I drop.  Don't regret the choice at all.

Title: Re: Stock Market and the Economy
Post by: demjansk1942 on November 01, 2020, 05:57:43 AM
Quote from: Sir Slash on October 31, 2020, 11:04:44 PM
My Financial guy talked me into putting retirement Nest Egg in an IRA that earns less interest but can never fall below my initial sum I invested. It's a no-lose bet.  O0

The problem with the pension, same here is their all invested in the market.  Market tanks real bad it will affect pensions