DOW closes above 9,500

[Finn_Jarber]

Well, what do you know. One of the worst years ever in stock market history followed by the best ever. The optimists rake in the dough, while the pessimists beat their heads on the wall.

Happy new year!!

[HappyTexan]

One can make money in a secular bear market if they follow the signs and buy/sell accordingly.
This was a year of trading, not investing. Both shorts and longs did well this year if played right.
Even the PM's ended the year on a positive note.

[Wapasha]

Originally Posted by LordBalfor

(so much for the claim that the DOW wouldn't hold up above 8,000 that some posters made).

And -

NASDAQ back above 2,000
S&P back above 1,000

Housing sales up to the highest point in 2 years (and with the biggest monthly increase on record).

Things are looking up. The economy is on the mend.


Ken

Simply amazing how well the rich Wall Street fat cats will do when the federal government and federal reserve kick in trillions to them. Wow, just wow, how quickly you guys switch to bowing before the greedy corporate idols.

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by Wapasha

Simply amazing how well the rich Wall Street fat cats will do when the federal government and federal reserve kick in trillions to them. Wow, just wow, how quickly you guys switch to bowing before the greedy corporate idols.

Um - apparently you are not aware of the fact that the stock market is made up of FAR more companies than those few that received bailout money. Those OTHER companies outnumber the "bailed out" firms by a ratio of hundreds to one. There are literally THOUSANDS of American companies with issued stock. The stock market is made up of nearly every major company in America (and many small to midsized firms) - from drug store chains to restaurant chains to manufacturing firms to food processing companies - and the vast majority of those company's stock rose dramatically this year (after collapsing hugely last year). Folks who were invested in those firms - either directly through stock holdings, or indirectly through company pension funds or 401K's etc - were rewarded handsomely. This includes roughly 50% of the American workforce. The idea that only Wall Street fat cats made money this year is pretty ignorant.

Ken