S&P500 is saying Merry Xmas to all

[ut2sua]

Wow, stock is setting up to have a great year.
I recalled starting the year with the wishful thinking to have equity going back to the 1/2022 peak, and we are very close to that. 24% of gain so far for s&p500. Of course, things can go back down in a flash any time, but for now, congrats to all who has owned US equity this year.
After seeing the gain in 2020 (Covid19) and this year (which is supposed to be a bad year for stock due to interest rate hike etc.), I have given up all hope on my ability to predict the stock market ups and downs. J. Bogle's is so right and his message is still extremely helpful to individual investors like me.

 

[teej1985]

Santa rally.

 

[audreyh1]

Are you trying to jinx things?

The equity markets usually rally late in the year. But the Fed signaling rate restraint earlier this month was a big deal.

 

[ducky911]

Up up and away. Air is thin up here, might need an oxygen tank.
Fully vested and changed my 60/40 to 80/20 last year.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

I just sold to fund 2024...expect a double digit rise before the end of the year!

 

[catii]

Yes, three cheers for Equity!!!

 

[GravitySucks]

I just sold to fund 2024...expect a double digit rise before the end of the year!

Ditto

 

[Koolau]

A Merry Christmas it's shaping up to be for those of us who have been in the markets. My relatively small equity portion of my AA has been a real boost here lately. Hoping for good things (for all of us) in 2024.

 

[W2R]

Merry Christmas, one and all! I like what we are seeing but I'm neither buying nor selling. So, don't expect any joyous exclamations beginning with "W", from me.

 

[MC Rider]

Up up and away...............

In my beautiful my beautiful balloon!


Good luck and Happy 2024.

 

[DrRoy]

Yes, it's been great. I am shocked that we did not have a recession, but that is why one should never try to time the market. No, No, No.

 

[racy]

Yes, it's been great. I am shocked that we did not have a recession, but that is why one should never try to time the market. No, No, No.

Agree. I'm not smart enough to time the market, nor convinced that anyone else is either. Just staying the course has served us with more than enough after 47 years of investing.

 

[audreyh1]

Yes, it's been great. I am shocked that we did not have a recession, but that is why one should never try to time the market. No, No, No.

Yes, so strongly predicted. But we still may have one next year. I never worry about when exactly a recession might occur. Just keep plugging along with my all weather portfolio.

 

[Chuckanut]

My doubts about the Fed and its inflation fight seem to be on the path to being proven wrong and I am happy about that. My AA has stayed about the same. I’ll find out for certain in early January and do the re-balancing math.

I finally dumped my international stock index fund this year. So, no doubt, the rest of you can look for them to have a great 2024.

 

[marko]

Yes, it's been great. I am shocked that we did not have a recession, but that is why one should never try to time the market. No, No, No.

+1 As I noted on another thread, on November 1 my YTD was 2.06%. Just eight weeks later, it is a hair under 13%. Stunning!

When the market moves, it moves so quickly sometimes that you just can't react. Stay invested!

 

[MBAVisionary]

I try not to look at the returns on my retirement account too often but instead focus on contributing up to the max.
YTD up 25.76%, 1 yr is "only" +12.68%, and expense ratio is only 0.02%.
The first $100k of investments took me forever.
June 2013 essentially $0.
May 2015 - $11k
Oct 2020 - $100k - 7 years
Dec 2022 - $200k - 2.2 years
Dec 2023 - $262k

At this rate I'll hit $300k by the end of next year but most likely August so 1.7 years? I see numbers in an account or on a spreadsheet but it doesn't feel real in some ways.

 

[kgtest]

I try not to look at the returns on my retirement account too often but instead focus on contributing up to the max.
YTD up 25.76%, 1 yr is "only" +12.68%, and expense ratio is only 0.02%.
The first $100k of investments took me forever.
June 2013 essentially $0.
May 2015 - $11k
Oct 2020 - $100k - 7 years
Dec 2022 - $200k - 2.2 years
Dec 2023 - $262k

At this rate I'll hit $300k by the end of next year but most likely August so 1.7 years? I see numbers in an account or on a spreadsheet but it doesn't feel real in some ways.

I know what you are saying about seeing it on paper and it not feeling "real". I am certainly proud of what I've done and you should be as well. They say you can double every 5 so you could see 500k before 2029.

We are in an 11 yr bull run and nothing lasts forever.

 

[Major Tom]

Yes, it's been great. I am shocked that we did not have a recession, but that is why one should never try to time the market. No, No, No.

As audreyh1 said, there is still time!

I notice that the S&P500 is very, very close to it's all-time high. Fun times. Of course, it could all come crashing down at any time, but that is always the case.

 

[Jerry1]

I notice that the S&P500 is very, very close to it's all-time high. Fun times. Of course, it could all come crashing down at any time, but that is always the case.

Of course, it could all go up from here. Meeting it's all time high may just mean that it's back on track after 2022 (a very bad year). We just don't know, but it does feel like there's some momentum and a positive outlook with inflation starting to be tamed. Who knows.

 

[ut2sua]

I see numbers in an account or on a spreadsheet but it doesn't feel real in some ways.

Congrats!!! Great job getting to this stage. As an early warning, your numbers will get larger and larger and the unreal feeling will get magnified even more over time. It is all a good thing.

 

[Koolau]

I try not to look at the returns on my retirement account too often but instead focus on contributing up to the max.
YTD up 25.76%, 1 yr is "only" +12.68%, and expense ratio is only 0.02%.
The first $100k of investments took me forever.
June 2013 essentially $0.
May 2015 - $11k
Oct 2020 - $100k - 7 years
Dec 2022 - $200k - 2.2 years
Dec 2023 - $262k

At this rate I'll hit $300k by the end of next year but most likely August so 1.7 years? I see numbers in an account or on a spreadsheet but it doesn't feel real in some ways.

When you hit your first million - it gets even more unreal.



Great expense ratio, by the way!

 

[pacergal]

Merry Christmas, one and all! I like what we are seeing but I'm neither buying nor selling. So, don't expect any joyous exclamations beginning with "W", from me.

I understand that may be a good decision!
Glad to see green, hope it continues

 

[audreyh1]

I guess we’re seeing a Santa Claus rally continue!

 

[MBAVisionary]

I know what you are saying about seeing it on paper and it not feeling "real". I am certainly proud of what I've done and you should be as well. They say you can double every 5 so you could see 500k before 2029.

We are in an 11 yr bull run and nothing lasts forever.

My biggest failure if you want to call it that is not getting my parents onboard with investing in equities. They never trusted the stock market though I share my balances and they think it's somehow rigged for the wealthy people.

On the flip side they have 2 paid off houses, stepdad has 2 pensions and still works part time in his 70s. Mom still working in her early 60s but dad wants her to retire after he sells his house which between land and property value is expected to yield $600k+. Right now taxes alone for each house is $12k/yr. I respectfully tell him to hurry up since he's been talking about selling for a decade and he isn't getting any younger.

 

[ut2sua]

My biggest failure if you want to call it that is not getting my parents onboard with investing in equities. They never trusted the stock market though I share my balances and they think it's somehow rigged for the wealthy people.

On the flip side they have 2 paid off houses, stepdad has 2 pensions and still works part time in his 70s. Mom still working in her early 60s but dad wants her to retire after he sells his house which between land and property value is expected to yield $600k+. Right now taxes alone for each house is $12k/yr. I respectfully tell him to hurry up since he's been talking about selling for a decade and he isn't getting any younger.

There are many roads leading to Rome. Your parents are successful in their own way. If you manage to push them into an uncomfortable position (say owning significant buckets of equities), then when the market crashes (as it will at some point), they will be in hell. If I were you, I would leave them in their heaven (now) and be proud of them instead of changing their thinking. Listen to them as they are telling you they sleep better with their current portfolio. That is priceless IMO.