Not a great start to the day....even though all the actual news is good for investors. I think we are seeing more BACKLASH from the POWELL story impacting the markets today as the media continues to try to fear-monger and dramatize as many clicks as possible from this IRRELEVANT story. I start today with a single GREEN stock.....GOOGL. Here is the markets so far: S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq mixed as CPI inflation eases, JPMorgan kicks off earnings https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live...es-jpmorgan-kicks-off-earnings-234952160.html S&P 500 is little changed as traders assess earnings, latest inflation data https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/12/stock-market-today-live-updates.html As usual good news.....the CPI.....is ignored and twisted into a down market. Too bad the markets can not just RELAX and go with the obvious. BUMMER.
I will be leaving in about an hour to take care of some business today. So as usual lately....I will miss most of the day......YEA. There is NOTHING out of the ordinary going on anyway and the markets are GOLDEN......even if no one wants to see it.....especially short term. One of the most disrespected and second-guessed bull market in history. Although this constant massive wall of worry is probably a good thing.....at least for us little people....that simply hang on and ride the wave for the long term.
I only have time for one quick post. I was slightly GREEN today with my stocks.....thanks to three stocks....GOOGL, NVDA, and AAPL. I also beat the SP%00 today by 0.24%. Considering the day and the big averages....I will take any gain including this one.....small as it is.
I'm wondering how big hedge fund managers and Wall Street executives make their millions and billions when markets are in this current state of just lingering there
Very flat few months here. I think I have been hovering around the same value for about 5 months now. Definitely a first for me.
They are not long investors. They are AI trading and (legally) manipulating the markets. They make micro-amounts of money millions of times and it adds up. What the big boys do is TOTALLY different than the little retail investor. AND.....most Hedge funds can not beat the SP500 long term. The fund managers make their money by "selling" the fund.
I agree with this article......IGNORE...it all. Beyond the Sturm and Drang Over Fed Independence, Little Actually Changed Always think like markets do. https://www.fisherinvestments.com/e...over-fed-independence-little-actually-changed "Set aside, as always, the politics, personalities and feelings involved. Markets don’t deal with such things—all are sociology. Even when they relate to the Fed head, these things aren’t within markets’ purview. Dwelling on them is a human impulse, but markets look past it all."
YES....at times it seems like you are treading water......sometimes it is just a "feeling" other times it is true. If you are performing at least at the level of the SP500.....you KNOW you made money in 2025. I dont focus on just a few months....about the least time span I look at is.....how I do annually....at year end. It is important to not get greedy or let expectations get all caught up in the short term. Investors get spoiled. It is about the long term which is not just a few months.....long term is at the minimum 2-3 years.....but.....more accurately 3-7 years. I know Strathmore did about 10% for 2025......that is an AMAZING return.....in the long term scheme of things. You have to trust the process.......and not get caught up in the short term. Any long term investor WILL face times when they actually LOSE money for 2-3 years in a row. That is called a bear market. LORI.....what was your return for 2025?
I apologize for the gloat but I sold my NVDA puts at the end of last week at a gain I will characterize as "substantial". While I continue to see all kinds of long term problems for nVidia, it's clear they either have a solution to their PCIe bus timing issue which has been plaguing them since 2021 or they are on the cusp because their prototypes do not show this issue. This step forward alone will propel them to a new level. Perhaps the lesson learned is that long term investing is for suckers and short term gambling is the path to success. Unfortunately, I am not a wise man so I remain invested for the long term.
HERE is a very relevant article for the discussion above. Killing the Goose that Lays the Golden Egg https://behaviouralinvestment.com/2026/01/13/killing-the-goose-that-lays-the-golden-egg/ "From a behavioural perspective, our ability to meet our long-term investment objectives is really about one thing: managing the conflict between our desire to save for the future and our craving to make ourselves feel better in the present. This has always been an incredibly exacting challenge, but it is being exacerbated by an industry that seems set on innovations aimed at exploiting our weakness for immediate satisfaction."
The ONLY news that matters today other than earnings is this. As usual BOTH defy the expectations and are GREAT news. BUT.....not being negative....it will all be ignored. Wholesale inflation was softer than expected, retail sales moved higher in November https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/14/who...ed-retail-sales-moved-higher-in-november.html "Key Points The producer price index rose just 0.2% in November. That was below the Dow Jones consensus for a 0.3% gain though one-tenth of a percentage point higher than October. On the consumer side, retail sales rose 0.6% for November. Economists had been looking for an increase of 0.4%. Excluding autos, sales were up 0.5%, compared with the 0.3% estimate."
HERE is the markets today.....earnings......and a refusal to see the reality of the PPI data. Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq resume slide as more bank earnings, fresh economic data roll in https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live...gs-fresh-economic-data-roll-in-000622793.html In reality.....so far the bank earnings have not been bad.....I would call them overall mild beats. BUT.....they are being nit-picked to death. For example......here is the reality versus the market reaction today. "Banking giants Bank of America (BAC) and Wells Fargo (WFC) both reported Wednesday morning that their fourth quarter and full-year profits rose from a year ago." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bank...ngs-add-to-rough-start-to-2026-122621011.html Bank of America tops estimates on better-than-expected net interest income, equities trading https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/14/bank-of-america-bac-q4-2025-earnings.html Citigroup tops estimates on stronger net interest income, smaller loan loss provision https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/14/citigroup-c-earnings-q4-2025.html
True Statement by WXYZ ! They rarely beat the S&P500, I think it's like only 15% beat it with any regularity, on the other hand I've seen some contributors here beat it pretty regularly, myself included. I think I've come out on the winning end of beating the S&P500 about 8 out of the last 9 years. I do it with a mix of high quality individual stocks (similar to WXYZ) some very good S&P500 ETF's , and some targeted ETF's like MGK, SMH, MAGS, VOOG and QQQM.
As I....."bitch"....about once in a while.....when the markets are consumed by politics, drama, fear-mongering and a dishonest click hungry media.....and gambling....etc, etc, etc. And when fundamental business data and other business truth are routinely ignored......the future of investing is at risk.
YES......ALL the real and big picture news is very positive today. Compare that to what you see being pushed. Retail sales rose a better-than-expected 0.6% in November as the holiday season kicked into gear https://finance.yahoo.com/news/retail-sales-rose-better-expected-134204407.html
Of course it is. But wait....I thought China was our friend? They are and will intentionally do anything they can to impair our companies......unless they need to steal something. The worlds most BRUTAL communist dictatorship. Lucky for NVDA and shareholders....their forward guidance does not include China. Nvidia stock falls as China reportedly restricts imports of H200 chips https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nvid...NjkhKeeD921JNsfT7Iwaj_I5aN1VhcSltGk41SkL6KN6I
Just to add some additional commentary to market returns and just the markets in general as mentioned above in some of the posts. There are times when it does "feel" like we are just puttering around, but I think that is sometimes due to all of the noise that surrounds us. When we zoom out, we have been on an unbelievable run. For example (SP 500), the last negative year return was 2022. Before that, we have to go back to 2018. From there, way back in the time machine to 2008. Think about that for a minute. We have had it really good. It can be easy to lose that perspective. Especially in today's times with all of the noise. We may be a bit spoiled. That is roughly two negative YTD out of eighteen years. We have been on a roll. Take a look... S&P 500 Total Returns by Year Year Total Return 2026 1.77% 2025 17.88% 2024 25.02% 2023 26.29% 2022 -18.11% 2021 28.71% 2020 18.40% 2019 31.49% 2018 -4.38% 2017 21.83% 2016 11.96% 2015 1.38% 2014 13.69% 2013 32.39% 2012 16.00% 2011 2.11% 2010 15.06% 2009 26.46% 2008 -37.00%
A....WASTED....day today for the markets and for me. Much significant positive business news is being ignored and every one of my stocks is....RED. It is amazing how.....the short term markets.....totally ignore how basic business success is happening at many, many, companies. It is a shame.....but....just the price you pay to be long term and in the markets. LOL.....what is the alternative? NOTHING....unless you are content to just invest in CD's or treasuries. SO......I will not torture myself any more for now. ( I say this tongue in cheek....LOL...please do not think I am being negative or down about investing.....I have extreme ability to IGNORE IT ALL......mostly since I dont rely on my investing money and am long term for life)
