EQUITY: Sell? Buy? Stay put?

[REWahoo]

I did what I do best: nothing

[Sam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords If you're thinking about getting back in the market,

FWIW, I have never left the market.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords ..., consider that mid-October has started a lot of holiday rallies and the government is ramping up the economy for an election year.

Thanks for the reminder.

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo I did what I do best: nothing

No need to brag!

[SecondCor521]

I did move $2K from cash into VTSMX for my kids' college today. But I would have done that soon anyway...it was sort of a discretionary buy.

Other than that and the typical paycheck 401(k) contribution, just standing pat.

2Cor521

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecondCor521 I did move $2K from cash into VTSMX for my kids' college today. But I would have done that soon anyway...it was sort of a discretionary buy. Other than that and the typical paycheck 401(k) contribution, just standing pat. 2Cor521

That's the cool thing about making regular 401K contributions (or TSP, in my case). We just keep DCA'ing into these funds, whether the market is up or down. I didn't even count my TSP contribution when I answered the poll.

[Mach]

I was waiting for a dip to buy...and the dip turned into a cliff.
So, technically I put in +20% investment during the dip, unfortunately not at the lowest point...which is to be determined.
I'm well into the red now, sad to say experience.

-Mach

[twaddle]

Sold and then immediately bought back similar stuff. Finally have some tax losses to harvest! Woohoo!

[Spanky]

I bought VEU & VTI last week, but they continue to fall - bummer!:confused:

[unclemick]

Checking the weather report - there have been no long power failures in Valley Forge - Vanguard computers probably have backup bats' any wise.

Target Retirement 2015 - ya gotta love automatic!

In keeping with 'sell in May and go away'. - my crystal ball says wait till the Saints open regular season against last years Superbowl champs before adjusting any of the Norwegian widow stocks.

Of course - one must be careful about past performance - a least with the stock market. Right?

heh heh heh -

[SamHouston]

So far I'm standing pat. I'm still a bit ahead for the year (although that could only last a few more days at this rate) and that encourages me to hang on for the ride. I don't feel like I'm over-weighted in equities, so I can't see selling now.

[LOL!]

Quote:

Originally Posted by twaddle Sold and then immediately bought back similar stuff. Finally have some tax losses to harvest! Woohoo!

Ditto! I've saved myself thousands of dollars in taxes!!! Woohoo!

[kumquat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOL! Ditto! I've saved myself thousands of dollars in taxes!!! Woohoo!

Isn't the term 'deferred'?

[LOL!]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kumquat Isn't the term 'deferred'?

Not quite. I will use the losses to offset ordinary income and short term gains taxed at 33%, but the replacement gains will be held long term and those gains will be taxed at 15%. So that means Uncle Sam pays for 18% of my losses.

[d]

i've been nibbling, but have fortunately been cautious so i still have a chunk sitting on the side-lines ...

[FIREd]

I voted "stayed put" but I did invest some money in the market by way of scheduled 401K, IRA and taxable account contributions (although it represents only about 1.2% of total portfolio). I haven't sold any equities but I did reduce the credit risk in my fixed income portfolio. I have some cash on the sidelines that I will inject in the market a little bit at a time.

[chinaco]

I have learned to not try to time the market. I can point to few times that I guessed correctly. And if I got it right on one side of trade (for example got out)... I missed the other side (getting back in at the right time). I would only sell equities that were in trouble (looking like bankruptcy or fundamental problems). If the investment is a good one, I would hold it.


I use asset allocation. On the equity portion of the portfolio (the %)... Like Texas Holdem... I am all in!

I will just ride the waves and let some of those big upward equity waves slosh into my tranquil lagoon of bonds/fixed.

Thats my story, I am sticking to it.


Good luck to all.

[lazygood4nothinbum]

i wound up buying a bunch about 1/2 way down because i had just moved the remainder of my ira to vanguard. but then it kept on going down, bummer. i would be depressed about that but since i'm down 30% on real estate, what i've lost in the market hardly bugs me at all.

i'm pretty sure i was just mean for a weekly check or my allowance. i don't seem to get the hang of this. and since i have no intention of ever working again and mom is dead, um, anyone wanna adopt me? i come with a decreasing dowry but a well-stocked sense of humor.

[Eagle43]

As usual, I did nothing.

I considered moving 50% of the bond funds into equities just to prove I'm so smart. But, what if I wasn't? Plus 64 is no age to gamble. "You gotta know when to hold 'em; know when to fold 'em; know when to walk away; know when to run."

[DangerMouse]

We did some tax loss harvesting and thinned out the portfolio, which was much needed.

However we will now return to our normal schedule of purchasing once a week and we continue to buy via a few DRIP programs we participate in.

[SecondCor521]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecondCor521 I did move $2K from cash into VTSMX for my kids' college today. But I would have done that soon anyway...it was sort of a discretionary buy. Other than that and the typical paycheck 401(k) contribution, just standing pat. 2Cor521

Hey lookee! I'm a contrarian indicator!

(Because I made the buy late yesterday afternoon, I got today's closing price.)

2Cor521

[ladelfina]

staying put for lotsa reasons:
-most holdings in taxable accounts
-buy & hold so would be facing big CG even to sell "losers" or less-desireable holdings; I also don't rebalance (bad!) for this reason.
-80% equities/10%bonds/10%cash; see above (urk!)

I would rather be buying but I have to take a close look at how much cash we really have to throw at this situation.. would rather not exacerbate any losses. As of today I looked and with Friday's prices YTD we are still up 6.5% (portfolio gains & investment income only) so I can't really say I am feeling any serious pain as of yet.

The same report run on Thursday's prices said 5.1%; on Wednesday's 10.3%.. big difference between 5% and 10%, but what can ya do? YTD 8/1/07 it was 12.6% (nice, but 6.5% is ok, too.. taking into account that if I look back 365 days to 8/18/06 the "year's" return for me was 16.3% -- sometimes the choice of "frame" is important).

The difference between the 5% ytd return and the 10% ytd return is predicated on a change (Wed.->Thurs.) of only 3% of the underlying portfolio which then got back about 1% (Thurs.->Fri.).

Not particularly scary yet, and even if it were I'm not convinced churning or pulling $ out is the appropriate solution.

Here's one way of looking at it:
Forbes.com: Digital Rules By Rich Karlgaard

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Interesting! I figured more buyers than sellers.. but as of now the responses are 27/4 - quite a difference.