Our financial system is crumbling this week.

[pioneer98]

Housing demand is high and housing starts are way up. Wages are increasing for the first time in forever. Unemployment ticks downward. Oil prices are really cheap. Commodity prices are also down so it hurts people selling those but helps everyone else. The stock market is doing one thing but the real economy is doing something else.

[Arthur Dent]

To the extent that it is rational, the stock market reflects something like expectations for future corporate profits. It's never made any sense when people talk about the stock market as if it is a summary of "the economy". Low unemployment, for example, is extremely important to the lives of most people, but it can be a negative for corporate profits if it represents greater market power for workers.

[IMADreamer]

Well I think the problem is the jobs that are out there suck. Lots of low wage low benefit crap. Personal debt is high. Rent prices are at record high. Health care costs still up. I think there are some bumps ahead.

[lukethedrifter]

To the extent that it is rational, the stock market reflects something like expectations for future corporate profits. It's never made any sense when people talk about the stock market as if it is a summary of "the economy". Low unemployment, for example, is extremely important to the lives of most people, but it can be a negative for corporate profits if it represents greater market power for workers.

It just drives me nuts that something as obviously correct as what you wrote seems so revolutionary

[heyzeus]

To the extent that it is rational, the stock market reflects something like expectations for future corporate profits. It's never made any sense when people talk about the stock market as if it is a summary of "the economy". Low unemployment, for example, is extremely important to the lives of most people, but it can be a negative for corporate profits if it represents greater market power for workers.

It just drives me nuts that something as obviously correct as what you wrote seems so revolutionary

As we're about to experience, there is however an interconnection between the stock market and other economic factors.

[lukethedrifter]

I guess I didn't really need that money for my retirement.

[pioneer98]

Vanguard's servers are crashing.

[Freed Roger]

Obligatory pic of stock market guy's reaction

[IMADreamer]

Vanguard's servers are crashing.

I hope it's a hacker buying me about a million shares in my retirement fund.

[ghostrunner]

Seriously though, this is not a bad time for my 401k to have started.