If you invested in a Dow index seven years ago, you've made 2.1 percent annual return.

[mistertrickster]

2.1 percent . . . that's not even keeping up with inflation.

I can't remember a period, even the Nixon-Carter years, when the Dow has been so flat for so long.

Jan 2001

Dow at 10,600

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1821426.stm



Today, seven years later

Dow at 12,159

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/business/17cnd-stox.h...

That's barely a 14 percent increase over seven years.

We'd have been better off buying a bank CD.

*****

Thanks to Worst. President. Ever., Democratic and Republican alike get to work a few more years before we can afford to retire.

But . . . praise Allah, Halliburton is doing so well, isn't it.

[Generic Brad]

1. You've convinced me

I'm buying bank CD's.

[mistertrickster]

7. Actually, it might be a good time to start buying again, now that George WMD

Bush is on his way out.

[HeraldSquare212]

2. And that could have been our Social Security money sitting there gathering dust nt

[mistertrickster]

5. I hadn't thought of that. Excellent point! nt

[A HERETIC I AM]

3. And if that is ALL you invested in...

you would DESERVE a 2.1% rate of return.

[mistertrickster]

6. I went overseas long ago, but still, US stocks pull the other ones down too. nt

[ben_meyers]

11. I just got an alert from my RBS account

Tomorrow isn't looking good in Europe either!

[jlake]

4. It's much worse than that when you factor in the declining value of the dollar.

In terms of real value, the djia is down almost 40%.

[KoKo]

9. And inflation in Food, Medical Care and Oil & Gas Prices....about 10 %

now although they hide it with the CPI Index..which has been doctored to leave out Food and Gas Prices.

So, inflation is ahead of investments and they want folks to give up Social Security and invest in the Market...and what if you had to retire right now...with down market and high inflation because you got caught in a "bust" after a boom? The "Powers that Be" want to convince folks that having a secure steady income is not a good thing...that the MARKET will provide all you need...not telling you that "Boom & Bust Cycles" could catch a person at the wrong time when they are ready to cash in.

US Govt. is going to need all that NEW INVESTMENT when they get rid of SS...after hoodwinking folks into thinking it's a good thing for all young folks because the "Market Always Goes Up." It does...but it goes DOWN at inconvenient times. Sort of playing Russian Roulette as to whether you will get caught losing your retirement when someone five years ahead or after you caught the Market Upswing...but you weren't so lucky.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

8. I think the DOW has risen something like 436 points in all since Jan. 14, 2000

That was its high tide under Clinton, when it reached 11,723.

[1]

10. ok. this will probably get me a tombstone but...

i have to say, you cannot pick out a day in time to represent the worth of your gain or loss on your investments.

tomorrow your investment might rise significantly. or they might fall to zero. that is what investments do. they are only worth what they are worth when you actually cash them in.

they go up. they go down. then up again. then down.

kinda like a marriage.

if every time he/she pisses you off, and you abandon them... i suspect your "investments" will suffer.

sometimes its worth riding the highs and lows. to see where that investment winds up. and sometimes not. its a hard game.

i'm just saying...

[rucky]

12. You are so getting a tombstone!

We don't give sensible advice here on the DU

[Blue_In_AK]

13. Our stockbroker said that things

will improve after the election. I hope he's right, because we've lost a bunch of money in the last three months from our IRAs.

[mistertrickster]

15. You are correct in the long-term. Historically, stocks give the best returns

compared to bonds, bank CD's etc over ten years or so.

I'm not saying ditch your 401K's.

I'm just saying that for the Repukes to run on "we're good for business" just ain't so . . .

[Johonny]

14. wow it's almost like

war is bad for the economy. See dow performance over Vietnam war for example.