Crew Capital Management Thoughts on Investment

Welcome to the Crew Capital Management Thoughts on Investment blog. At Crew Capital, investment education is key to how we work with our clients. We hope our conversation and analysis entice you to think further on your investment strategies and planning. For further discussion, please contact us at rjung@crewcapital.com

Thank you!
Robert F. Jung, CFA CPA*

*CPA inactve

Monday, March 2, 2009

February Is In The Record Books and It Was Ugly

February was a miserable month for investors. The DJIA dropped 11.7% and the S&P 500 fell 11%. The Russell 2000 declined 12.3%. It was the worst February for performance since 1933, and the 43% decline over the past six months is the worst stretch since 1932. Investors have responded by, increasingly, shunning equities. According to several measures of investment sentiment, the few remaining bulls are rapidly vanishing, and the bears are gaining converts. Investment sentiment has not been to these low levels in the past 10 years. Sentiment is, of course, a contrarian indicator. Many analysts have said that the next bull market will only commence once investors have exited stocks altogether. That may be true, but we would also like to see some improvement in the investment fundamentals – economic growth and corporate
profits – before declaring the bear market is over.

According to AAII Sentiment Index the Bears are running about 55% and Bulls a little under 25%. The Bears have increase over the past 2 weeks, with almost all of them coming from the Bull camp. This is usually a sign of a market turning point. It might be different this time. Reasoning - investors are looking for some form of direction and the new administration is not giving them one.

Uncertainty breads a lose in confidence while certainty creates too much confidence.

Buffett's annual letter is out and it is a must read.

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