Time to start a new thread. We are ending March madness and entering the market unknowns starting in April 2025.

 

Maybe the second quarter of 2025 will be better than the first quarter.

Dave, thanks for starting a new thread for 2025.

 

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/politics.../#post25108571
doge-tariffs-economy
Don't hold your breathe Sue. ugly is in our future.

 

Hey, Jerry, I just said maybe.

 

https://www.freep.com/story/money/ca...p/82692748007/

A great article on the auto industry and the implications of the pending tariffs. Viewed from a subcontractor perspective.
Dave's stomping ground.

 

Lack of understanding of the finely honed supply chain within the automotive industry by those who make broad sweeping changes is a gigantic blunder by those "in charge". The system has been carefully set up over decades and many of the parts suppliers operate on single digit margins. Those who wear suits and those who should be wearing prison uniforms in Washington have no idea what they are dealing with. They are making changes that impact the lives of tens of thousands of employees who work within the industry. Imbeciles and idiots are now running the system. I already noted that Subaru Canada will now bring in all cars to be sold in Canada from Japan plants, no longer from the big Indiana Subaru plant, and we buy a lot of different Subaru models that are assembled in Indiana. They could easily lose a shift of workers due to that one change, I bet Mexico will do the same thing.

 

"Normally" with AI emerging we should be on the cusp of a market boom.
The underlying tech change is there to infuse market enthusiasm to drive a bull market.
I think the current direction by leadership has already cut the legs out from under the bull.

 

The top 7 tech companies have been slaughtered this year, not that I invested in them but that is what I seen reported.

 

I just came across my investment notes when I retired in 2001. Thought I would mention two for grins.

Rule of thumb – Keep stock investments in the range between 100 minus your age or 110 minus your age, if practical. I smiled at that. I should only have 16% in stock. Vanguard says 50%. I lowered mine to 40% at the end of last year; probably note a bad move.

I have no idea if any of this is still true and don’t be mad at me for sharing. Several have mentioned having annuities and feeling good about them in these turbulent times. Here’s my notes.

“Forget annuities – many sources think they are oversold, frequently misrepresented, and totally inappropriate for most folks. When it comes to variable annuities in particular, even the SEC has weighed in on the warnings. Annuities are too expensive, offer mediocre insurance coverage, restrict the owner’s investment choices to so-so, ho-hum, mutual fund look-alike subaccounts, they do as advertise provide for tax-deferred investment growth, yet that growth is taxed at ordinary income tax rates on withdrawal, and lack liquidity.”

 

Somewhat related…I had my original trust from 2015 amended. One thing I noticed is new language added which covers digital investments. A lot has happened in 10 years!