Anybody buying on this downturn?

[skives]

I’m wondering if I should do a 401k to Roth 401k conversion now or if that money that would pay the taxes would be better invested. What do you people think?

[disneysteve]

looks like we are going to get a big bounce this morning. could be technical. shorts are getting squeezed.

but not sure if we have hit bottom yet.
the erratic market is out of balance due to way too much uncertainty

i think it might be time to start buying

I’m kicking myself for not pulling the trigger on some things I was watching yesterday. I could have done well this morning. I was too busy at work and before I realized it the market was closed. I’ll be watching today.

[bjl584]

looks like we are going to get a big bounce this morning. could be technical. shorts are getting squeezed.

but not sure if we have hit bottom yet.
the erratic market is out of balance due to way too much uncertainty

i think it might be time to start buying

[disneysteve]

Yes who knows. It’s all very scary for so many - not only investments but jobs, potential illness.

This will pass, but like 9/11, Corona will leave prints on our country. For the next couple of decades, we will all be a little more cautious, and I hope a lot more grateful for the wonderful country we live in, and the many things we have to enjoy and participate in. We’ve got it good.

Yes. This is going to affect people for years to come. Investments decimated. Jobs lost. People racking up debt to get by. The market might recover in a couple of years but there will be long-lasting effects.

[Jluke]

When there is panic selling, you are nearing a bottom. I still think there is a flash crash, quite possibly tomorrow being a Friday, where lots of brokers get the "sell at any cost and get me out" phone calls.

Define flash crash?

Following is applied in one trading session:
especially in relation to the circuit breakers that are activated when the S&P drops 7% (level 1) and there is a 15 minute pause.

then 15% (level 2) with another pause.

then if 20% down the market closes.

I think I have the details right and the basic concept explained correctly.

[TexasHusker]

next couple decades? Maybe if we got hit with the 2020 version of the black plague. Couple years from now when people are getting the combination corona-flu vaccines, they'd be laughing at how silly we all were for worrying about it like it's the end of the world.

I hope you are right.

[~bs]

next couple decades? Maybe if we got hit with the 2020 version of the black plague. Couple years from now when people are getting the combination corona-flu vaccines, they'd be laughing at how silly we all were for worrying about it like it's the end of the world.

[TexasHusker]

Yes who knows. It’s all very scary for so many - not only investments but jobs, potential illness.

This will pass, but like 9/11, Corona will leave prints on our country. For the next couple of decades, we will all be a little more cautious, and I hope a lot more grateful for the wonderful country we live in, and the many things we have to enjoy and participate in. We’ve got it good.

[kork13]

When there is panic selling, you are nearing a bottom. I still think there is a flash crash, quite possibly tomorrow being a Friday, where lots of brokers get the "sell at any cost and get me out" phone calls.

I still disagree with the flash crash theory (though arguably... how would you describe today, 10% down in 1 day?), but I'm with you that their's still more bloodletting to come. I think the panic selling will be approaching a floor over the next few days or maybe weeks.

I'm putting in a new round of limit orders, ~2.5% below today's closings. But with these new orders, I'm being more conservative... Smaller amounts (total ~$1k at a time), perhaps making new orders as the previous ones execute (or just once a week), and probably sticking to 2-3% below closing values to give myself a pretty good chance of them executing relatively quickly -- I just need a quick blip down to catch a decent buy.

[TexasHusker]

Well, I was right.... The last 3 orders went through today. What shocked me, however, is that they all executed SIGNIFICANTLY (3.7%, 4.1%, and 6.3%) below my limit prices!!! How desperate are people to sell?!?

When there is panic selling, you are nearing a bottom. I still think there is a flash crash, quite possibly tomorrow being a Friday, where lots of brokers get the "sell at any cost and get me out" phone calls.

[kork13]

3 down, 3 to go -- two more of my limit orders went through today. The last ones need to dip another ~2% to execute. Once those last buys go through (I'm assuming they will, guessing by Friday)...

Well, I was right.... The last 3 orders went through today. What shocked me, however, is that they all executed SIGNIFICANTLY (3.7%, 4.1%, and 6.3%) below my limit prices!!! How desperate are people to sell?!?

[kork13]

3 down, 3 to go -- two more of my limit orders went through today. The last ones need to dip another ~2% to execute. Once those last buys go through (I'm assuming they will, guessing by Friday), I'll have another ~$5k in my settlement account ready to go for the few next rounds. But now that I've started, I'm most likely going to try to keep my purchases relatively moderate & consistent ... ~$1k/week for a while, reassessing as we go.

The nice bit is that I was already planning (since ~Jan) to start buying into all of these ETFs.... I just didn't expect to start doing so until May/June. But the low/volatile values definitely make it appealing to start now. As always, we'll just have to let it ride & see where the roller-coaster takes us!

[rennigade]

I just moved $2500 from my online savings to checking. It will take a day or two to clear then I plan on possibly buying individual stocks...yikes.

[TexasHusker]

Timing “the market” (DJIA, S&P, NASDAQ, whatever) is fool’s gold. “The market” is a bushel of companies. Like a box of legos. Some are winners, some are losers. Over time, the idea is that the tide rises and lifts all of the boats.

Timing your purchase in a company - whether a publicly traded company that you buy shares in or a local company that operates in your hometown, means everything. As does selling.

[cypher1]

he is looking for opportunities... that's the exact opposite of putting your money on something that represents the US economy and letting it ride...

Everything has pros and cons...

But you guys seem to live in absolutes.. "this is bad" .. and "that is good" ... and if it 's something you deem positive .. you must put in your "good" box... and since market timing is "bad" .. then Warren Buffett must not be a market timer.

Definitely agree with you on everything having pros and cons. Not trying to compare myself to Buffet, but yesterday was the first time I bought individual stocks (2 different airlines). Which I plan to hold onto for the next 2-5 years depending on how they perform.

As for absolutes, I think this "timing" of the market topic follows the famous response of "It depends." Similar to having smart debt of student loans vs CC debts. Or borrowing more than 2.5 times your annual income for a mortgage, with exceptions of high cost of living areas. Or investing in 401K or Roth while still paying off student loans. These may not be the best examples, but the only things I could think of at the moment where exceptions may apply.