Total stock market was down 8% last year ...

[LOL!]

... at one point.

Some perspective for those rendered senseless by anxiety:
This year the total stock market is down just 1.2% so far. It may go lower; it may go higher.

Maybe I don't remember it right, but I do not recall as much anxiety last year when between May and June stocks dropped quite a bit. Below is a chart. Total Market down 8%, Emerging markets down more than 25%, EAFE down 15%, small caps down 14%, midcap down 12%.

It was a great buying opportunity then. The stock market finished up more than 15% in 2006 despite the May-June performance. While past performance is blah, blah, blah ... what's with the anixiety for a sub-2% drop?

 

[W2R]

... at one point.

Some perspective for those rendered senseless by anxiety:
This year the total stock market is down just 1.2% so far. It may go lower; it may go higher.

Maybe I don't remember it rught, but I do not recall as much anxiety last year when between May and June stocks dropped quite a bit. Below is a chart. Total Market down 8%, Emerging markets down more than 25%, EAFE down 15%, small caps down 14%, midcap down 12%.

It was a great buying opportunity then. The stock market finished up more than 15% in 2006 despite the May-June performance. While past performance is blah, blah, blah ... what's with the anixiety for a sub-2% drop?

Oh gee... I don't know about the rest of those here, but I definitely demonstrated a higher level of anxiety last May and June that I have recently. By that, I mean that I actually sold when I shouldn't have and went from 75% stocks to 60% on the way down. I lost a thousand or two. It could have been worse.

After it was over I felt pretty stupid, but I have maintained 60% ever since. That is probably why I haven't done anything stupid this time. Apparently 60% is a level I can handle.

That doesn't mean I'm not disturbed and anxious about what has been happening since the end of February - - just that apparently I was more disturbed last year. Also, the emotions of being disturbed/anxious are just feelings, and don't have to mean that a given individual will actually act on those feelings.

 

[Sam]

Want2retire,

You were not the only one. Many people were concerned as well.

http://early-retirement.org/forums/index.php?topic=8190.msg147141#msg147141