VTI YTD is 15%

[Fishindude77]

The last big collapse was Covid in 2020.

Almost exactly one year ago the market was at nearly identical point where it's at now.

[ua_guy]

You don't have to go back too far in time to see the market in similar condition as it's in today. Can't remember what it was being blamed on last go round?

The last big collapse was Covid in 2020.

...

[Fishindude77]

Not really, especially if retiring "early". I retired last year at 59. If all goes well, I could live another 30 years or more. My mom is nearly 95. With a 30-year timeline, you still need to have a substantial stake in equities to stay ahead of inflation over the coming decades.

As a 65 YO retired guy I feel about the same way. Heck, my Dad is still going and living on his own at 94, hopefully I will be as lucky.
Blame it on the tariffs, the administration, whatever, it doesn't matter. You get periodic downturns in the stock market, but it's still one of the better places to have invested money unless you feel there is going to be some catastrophic, total economic collapse of business in America and elsewhere.
You don't have to go back too far in time to see the market in similar condition as it's in today. Can't remember what it was being blamed on last go round?

If you are the paranoid type, get into low risk low return safe investment tools like CD's or diversify and spread out your risks.
Have some paid for real estate, cash, bonds, individual stocks, income generating property, a business, precious metals or whatever makes you feel good.


Regarding Stellantis comments above:
They have huge investments and operations very near here and I know quite a few people that work there. They really don't feel like much of "an American car company" anymore. Same outfit from the Netherlands that owns Fiat and Peugeot owns them and the US plants (formerly Chrysler & Jeep) have been a mess pretty much since they've had ownership. Lots of layoffs, lots of turnover, etc., and many long tenured employees retired early, took buy outs, etc. They closed one of the big local transmission plants here a couple years ago. This tariff thing may impact them to some degree but it is far from the reason for their problems. 90 Miles from us in the other direction is a huge GM pickup truck plant. They are booming, hiring and expanding despite current conditions.

[Randomsaver]

Well i'm down 15% YTD and so is my mom. It is a very large hit. I would not want to be in the midst of retiring. This is SORR. How's it going? I figured people might decide pain is bad when it hits 30%? How long until you think people turn and say enouogh?

30% discount is great! Think about it. Those of us still getting paychecks should be happy and those retired should know the consequences if they are still 100% in. I say 3 years of flat would be great for us. Then back to new highs in 2028 or even 2029.

I felt like I got left off the bus when I bought my latest condo and the market soared. This allows folks like me to get back on the bus with the same foilks.

[disneysteve]

What often gets lost in all of this is that these inane actions have direct and immediate effects on people's lives. Stellantis is on that chart above. They are one of the companies that announced layoffs as soon as the tariffs went into effect, because tariffs are terrible for US businesses. So do they now recall all of the employees they laid off? What if something else happens tomorrow or next week? Do they then lay them off again? While the White House is playing a global game of chicken, regular working folks are having their lives turned upside down.

[EasyMoney00]

Just crunched some numbers. We were up approx $190k today. Still down but headed in right direction.

[ua_guy]

I mean, is anyone really surprised?

One of these things isn't like the other...

[kork13]

If this isn’t market manipulation….

I just got a text from my father, concerned about the exact same thing .... Politicians using all of this for insider trading & such. I explained their reporting requirements & common use of blind trusts .... But really, is that enough? Not everybody in government have those requirements. Not to mention ... Are there even sufficient regulatory & investigative bodies left with enough capacity to monitor for insider trading & illegal market manipulation? All of this stinks of either something illegal, or else something totally reckless, unconsidered, and impulsive.

[ua_guy]

Really interesting comment UA_guy. So, part of what is happening is China is doing most of the manufacturing, but a then a lot of Chinese companies will set up front companies in say Vietnam, or other Asian countries. This way they can legally claim the manufacturing is happening in Vietnam, instead of China. This gets them around tariffs.

So, if you're the Trump administration, and you really want to slap a tariff on China, probably you'd have to slap tariffs on all the countries China is using as a front as well.

I don't think it was that interesting of a comment. It echoes the quiet comments of business and people heavily invested in equities. Trade wars aren't good for business, period.

[james.hendrickson]

What a joke. These tariffs are uncoordinated and reckless, economically speaking, at best. Better hope to heaven all the other countries we've pissed off decide to back down on their escalating tariffs as well. The US doubling down on our 2nd largest trading partner (China) is also a recipe for economic disaster but at least there's a 90 day, totally self-imposed reprieve from yet another self-imposed and manufactured economic disaster.

Really interesting comment UA_guy. So, part of what is happening is China is doing most of the manufacturing, but a then a lot of Chinese companies will set up front companies in say Vietnam, or other Asian countries. This way they can legally claim the manufacturing is happening in Vietnam, instead of China. This gets them around tariffs.

So, if you're the Trump administration, and you really want to slap a tariff on China, probably you'd have to slap tariffs on all the countries China is using as a front as well.

[ua_guy]

Is everyone angry the s&p was up 9.5% today? Isn't that better than another steep drop day? It's odd to me that people have such disdain for the POTUS that they actually wish for the market to tank. I could never wrap my head around this thought process. People would rather watch their NW plummet just so they can say "I told you so."

Let's all be thankful the market was up. Yeah, circumstances are screwed up. The bullying/posturing obviously didn't work. Let's count our blessings.

The most important thing is everyone should stay the course. We will probably see more big drops if prez opens his mouth and does more dumb stuff. That's why I told ua_guy to stay on their path. Wait to get back in after all this mess settles.

It would appear you are the only one who brought this up. I can't think of anyone who is "angry" that the market is up today. Many people who were considering getting out before the crash can probably do so now without locking in big losses compared to before. That's great news. I do plan to stay my course because I have a good hunch the worst is yet to come. That's just my risk tolerance, but YMMV.

[EasyMoney00]

Is everyone angry the s&p was up 9.5% today? Isn't that better than another steep drop day? It's odd to me that people have such disdain for the POTUS that they actually wish for the market to tank. I could never wrap my head around this thought process. People would rather watch their NW plummet just so they can say "I told you so."

Let's all be thankful the market was up. Yeah, circumstances are screwed up. The bullying/posturing obviously didn't work. Let's count our blessings.

The most important thing is everyone should stay the course. We will probably see more big drops if prez opens his mouth and does more dumb stuff. That's why I told ua_guy to stay on their path. Wait to get back in after all this mess settles.

[Jluke]

If this isn’t market manipulation….

I bought a $1000 worth of small number of shares (like 1-2) in my kid’s account on Tuesday because there was some cash there to invest. Good timing. Until the next time someone changes their mind.

[disneysteve]

It's only paused for 90 days

Or until he changes his mind again. This certainly isn't over. He's only been in office for 11 weeks. He's got 197 more to go.

[EasyMoney00]

To the moon! Lol

Hopefully some of this abysmal year of negative returns will vanish.

Ua_guy. It's only paused for 90 days. If I were you, ,you should stay the course of the path you chose. After the 90 days and no negotiations are done, it'll crash even harder. You will be better in the long run to sit it out till is smooths over.

This should show everyone how much of a joke the stock market is. Time to wake up people.