Don’t fall prey to the fear mongering that persists among the media and Wall Street’s stock and exchange traded fund (ETF) short-sellers.
That’s what Ben Stein says. Looking at economics, he says, it’s all relative. Plus, 2008 will be an election year, and markets tend to do well at those times.
Here are some points from Ben Stein:
- Heavy Labor: The housing correction is huge, the sharpest falloff during the post-war era. Housing is only 5% of the economy and real unemployment has not budged since the housing correction a year ago. The labor shortage will be easily absorbed by other sectors.
- Currency Events: Fear of the falling dollar is a misconception because aside from oil, the typical family buys little abroad. The stock market isn’t affected because American corporations earnings are denominated in U.S. dollars, so what does it matter how many dollars it takes to buy a euro?
Here are some things to think about for 2008 ETF investing:
- Watch the trends
- Don’t be scared about investing overseas
- Have a sell discipline if markets head south
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.