From Martin: More than 3,400 blog posts and counting!

I am doing nothing as I said yesterday. I’m positioned for the short or long haul and don’t intend to change my position. It’s been working just fine for years in some respects since 1963.

So far the only successful strategy I have found is to patiently wait out this market. I have researched a lot of companies and very few are fit to invest in today Too many have big debt problems, and shockingly very few even have positive current ratios. I look for strong companies paying more than 5% dividends (after their latest dividend cut NOT before any announced cuts) and then hold out for the 52 week low or better. Also waiting for solid companies to buy, but only at 10% below previous 52 week lows. Inverse ETF’s are also good for day trading if you feel brave.

If there are some strategies that can be effective for a medium term that can be implemented
easily. The effort to maintain my dental practice precludes me from consistently watching the markets. The volatility has played havoc with many of my choices and has created a real insecurity. I would hope, if it is possible ,to have a “simple to follow medium term strategy” that needs more minimal supervision.

In a way, you are asking me to define for you your business model. I think that is your job, and I am to judge it by using it. be that as it may, here goes.
Your recommend a stock purchase. give a price range, and a time range. If these parameters cannot be met move on to something else as an investment.
When advising to sell or hold, give a price range and a time range. time ranges could be a number of choices. like 3 months 12months, and a36 months.
each new issue of a letter covering these recommendations , could be updated with new parameters, and we start again with a new portfolio, if that is the choice.
I do not want a computer model as the only decision-making vehicle. You are the adivsor, you must live with your decisions, and I will have to judge how well they do.
I no longer listen to another stock peddler, b ecause of poor reliability.

All I am doing is trying to go for dividends or small caps that are growing well now in spite of it all, but I was focusing on energy stocks. I don’t feel confident in energy anymore.

I would like to have the knowledge to purchase currency options and stock options with on-line internet brokerages (low fee) in contrast to the high feel full service broker.

i’d like to know more about the mechanics of how the dow and SPX do trades. How are the quantities and amounts matched up for a trade. If you put in an order hours ahead of the market price and it finally gets there, does that mean you are first (or at the head) in line.

why, when the spx/e-mini/es closes at 1:15pm daily does it open at 1:30 or so, maybe 3 points different?

what does it mean when the dow drops a huge amount in one or two minutes? what is actually happening? when it was orderly before.

did everyone withdraw their offers? or did a large amount of bids come in and say buy/sell at market?

how can i find out what these chart movements mean?

Market volatility seems to be the biggest obstacle to managing risk. Stocks and ETFs routinely blow throw stops. Some guidance on the volatility of a portfolio recommendation or possibly recommended trailing stops would nice to have.

I live in Australia and so cannot buy US Treasury bonds or inverse ETF’s. Our market unfortunately seems to follow the Dow especially when it is negative. In fact our market is even more down then the US. I don’t know what to do.

I need higher interest rates for the money I have and I can’t afford to risk. I need to know how long to tie up my funds, how to structure a ladder of CD’s and what is an acceptable rate of return. I need fully guaranteed investments that will generate income I need to live on.

Gold, ETF, currencies

Martin,

I have gone through a number of investing / trading strategy stages just within the last few years. From Mutual Funds Investing (little success) to ETFs (average success) to Stock Trading (better than average results) to Index Put Options last year (great results).

To sum it up I have no confidence in stocks righ now and probably for a long time.

What I am doing now - since a short while - is currency trading. I love this market for all the known reasons especially it is honest, hard to manipulate and the best trending market I know. And of course at the same time keeping most of my money in 3m T-Bills.

Regards,
Karl

I wonder if anyone else is in this situation? Thanks to your suberb advice, I knew the stock crash was coming. But my husband’s 401K only allows you to put your money in a few funds. I think you have only seven choices. I asked for a cash choice, and was told no. Not knowing what to do, I choose the bond fund. It was a good choice then, but now I am nervous as I hear more and more frightening news everyday. As more lies and mismanagement is revealed daily, I fear that our retirement will dissapear. Are bonds really safe? Why won’t they simply let me withdraw my funds? I’d glady take the tax hit. The 401k managers say that is not allowed unless my husband leaves his job. That sounds crazy I know, but these are crazy times! Bottom line, I don’t trust the establishment anymore. Any ideas - anyone?

Covered options using stocks in my portfolio.

I am not certain you want us to mention a particular provider but I will because I subscribed to Vector Vest a year ago and find what they offer to be most helpful
in rating stocks and offering specifics of price, stop loss and buy, sell or hold. I have
found their approach easy to understand and follow. Its weakness is all of the data
is from the previous days close so it runs a day late. Volatility can play havoc with
the results at times.

Small investors can make money if we understand which economic forces will change the market . A service that sees these trends will help.

I have read back issues of Money and Markets to see who was right 3 years ago. Comments by Mike Larson about the homes for sale in his own neighborhood led him to correctly predict the present crisis based on the housing bubble bursting and the massive decline of the home builders, Freddie, Fannie, banks etc.

So what gives confidence? Just such a track record of identification of such trends and how such trends can be used.

I grew up during the 1930s, and feel that we
are in for another one. Society has changed fundamentally.
We have institutionalized dishonesty throughout the financial services
area, so that any piece of paper is unworthy of trust. My approach is
to accumulate precious metals and trade currencies. I am a retired
NASD broker-dealer my advise is: Don”t trust Wall Street!

Thanks Martin. I belong to the Crisis Opportunity Speculator and the Crises Opportunity ETF Trader. When you give me a recommendation for a put option could you also include a recommendation for a call option in case the put option goes down instead of up. The same for ETFs. Give me the recommendation for the down ETF and the up ETF. That way I can play both sides. Does this make sense? You also saved me over 30k back in August with your warning to get out of stocks. I switched my 401k from company stocks which was at $50/share and now is at $24/share into Short Term Treasuries. Thank you very much.

Well I have been looking at the different ETF’s. such as uso, spy, dia, qqq . stocks cat, pg and UPS if it comes down again at $42.00.

Do you think these are safer modes of investing in the stock market.

I would very much like your imput.

Regards,

George

Hi Martin,

i live in Australia and have been intently reading both Money Morning and Money and Markets for a quiet a while and I get a very uneasy feeling about the way the governments around the world are attempting to resolve this crisis and i have therefore dived into gold bullion after selling most of my shares. Whilst everything that is going on in the USA, China and the UK have a knock on effect for our economy what do you see for Australia this year and do you have any insight into the much alluded to “Amero” and the new middle east currency?

cheers
mark

Dear Marti
I have been reading you for 5 years, but have never invested on my own without a (boy what an apt name) broker. I’m caregiving, taking care of my 84 year old blind mother who used to be comfortable but has followed her broker( the oldest invetstment managemetn firm in Virginia) and can’t afford to loose another dime. I need confidence. Timing. I’m very interested in the currency trading program, but frankly $2,000 plus is a lot to venture on something that sounds wildly complicated to someone who has never traded even stocks. I’m single nd I want to take charge of my own finances but I feel I lack the experience.

Tell me about Swiss Franc’s as a safe haven for cash

I unfortunately felt this devastation coming on many months ago but did not act on my hunch. There was some erratic behavior back then that reminded me of the plunge in 1987. I was reading your email and still did not act. However in watching this scenario play out, I have come to one major conclusion: that this one giant casino and in as any casino the longer you stay, the more your chances of losing everything. Aside from the manipulation and the bad fills, the rules and regulations have been altered to condone the mess that is going on, and the watchdogs are asleep. The uptick rule and the short sale rule come to mind. You may be right in going to the currency market for now.

I used to follow the No Load Fund*X newsletter, which was GREAT until the **** hit the fan. Now I’m looking to follow The Decision Moose (and save on a subscription charge also).
–joe

I like your idea about investment. I have been a victim myself. I will be to share with you
Rhank you. Sincerely, Dom Edar

My wife and I are following a cash only policy, basically following your recommendation. The exception is taking $10,000 to invest for short term gain each month, perhaps playing for the volatility. We invest in stocks that pay a 4%+ yield, have low debt with a strong market presence, and has stable or growing revenues. We keep them long enough to make $400 or more. If the price goes down, we hang on, enjoy the dividend, and wait for it to come back. If the price goes higher after we sell, we say “Oh well, thanks for the $400, it helps our monthly budget”.
So I would like your help.

Martin.
I know you all have to make a living like the rest of us, but how about a few FREE stock/EFT Company names & symbols now & then?
I’m tired of other hype “gurus” who issue “teaser” hype then ask $49.95 to $1,500 for their recommendations — maybe we can trade winners?
Or maybe you can have a one-time fee for all recommendations for a year?
Regards,
Bob

I’m reading lots of financial newsletters and books and I have to agree with Damon. That said, it would be nice to know the facts (balance sheets) on some of these companies that are being recommended by those “in the know”. We just don’t have the time to do all the necessary research. I keep reading about Buffet and what he is buying. Many people seem to still think “he’s the man” but look at what’s happened to many of his recent stock picks. Yikes. Maybe he can afford to lose millions in the market but we can’t. I don’t think anyone is feeling as though they can trust their trusted advisers or Buffet’s stock picks, or anything else for that matter. We need to know what is SAFE right now and need the facts to back it up. That is the only way any of us are going to let go of our precious cash right now.

YES, A VERY OVERDUE THANK YOU, FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE VISION AND ALTRUISTIC QUALITIES, WHICH INSPIRE AND KEEP ME FOCUS ON THE TRUE MEANING OF LIFE, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS..” never sell out”", YOUR MANTRA STANDS TRUE, DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND BE CAUTIOUS !!!!
KUDOS, TO LARRY EDELSON, ANOTHER VISIONARY AND INSIGHTFUL MAN!!!
I’M A CHIROPRACTOR, AND BY DEFINITION, HAVE NOT FOLLOWED THE MAINSTREAM VIEW, NOT ONLY ON HEALTHCARE IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT ALSO THE DYNAMICS ;BOTH MONETARILY, AND PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY WITH REGARDS TO “tHE GOOD LIFE”"…
I RECENTLY LOSS MY DAD , LAST WEEK, AN INCREDIBLE HUMAN BEING WHOM NEVER SOLD OUT AND WITHOUT HESITATION ALWAYS DID WHAT’S RIGHT..
A WWII NAVY MAN THAT WAS PART OF AN INCREDIBLE GENERATION OF BRAVERY AND RIGHTOUSNESS AND SELF-SACRIFICE..SERVICE TO OTHERS IS PARAMOUNT..
IT REMINDS ME OF YOUR DAD WHO TAUGHT AND INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A WONDERFUL PERSON..
THANK YOU AGAIN MARTIN, AND MY FRIENDS THANK YOU..I SHARED YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH ANYONE I THOUGHT COULD BENEFIT AND WOULD LISTEN…
ONE NOTE, MY DAD WAS AN INCREDIBLE FISHERMAN AND TAUGHT ME HOW TO FISH,,
HOW DOES IT GO, FEED A MAN FOR A DAY, BUT TEACH HIM TO FISH AND YOU ‘VE GIVEN HIM A GIFT AND SKILL THAT HE CAN CARRY THE REST OF HIS LIFE , IN GOOD TIMES OR BAD, AND HE CAN SUSTAIN HIMSELF FOREVER…
THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME TO NAVIGATE IN THIS WORLD OF UNCERTAINTY..”PRICELESS”…..
WITH SINCERE RESPECT.
DR. GEORGE DE MAERTELAERE

Despite living in Canada, I read your M&M newsletters each day with great interest. For instance, based on today’s version (and others) I increased my gold ETF holdings to 10% of my main portfolio. Is that the best level?
I like ETFs for their low cost (MER), diversification and tax treatment.
For readers who are new to investing the “Couch Potato” portfolio which claims it needs 15 minutes to set up and 15 minutes a year to rebalance, is worth a first look. Surf to http://www.moneysense.ca - while this is a Canadian site, the principles apply equally well in the States and elsewhere.

I can not think of a way to lower my risk and still maintain profits. The risk is great and the profit potential is from bad to worse.

Martin,

I started re-reading 2008 issues and I am amazed at Larry’s prophetic exclamation on 1/3/08:

“If I sound gloomy about 2008, it’s because I am. I think 2008 is going to be a disaster for most investors.”

Nostrodomus has nothing on him!!

Arthur

I am in my 90’s, trading options on line and banking good money, and having a great time doing so. I strongly urge anyone to do this who is serious about surviviing. For myself I would to get into swing trading. How do I get started?

Timing is everything! Many of the M&M commentary plays out long term, but political manipulation and intervention are confusing to the markets. ie. bank, auto or financial rescue. Please help your readers to interpret this intervention by the US Government on the unwinding of the financial crisis.

Martin,
Like most bloggers here, my trust in Wall Street and most analysts is gone. I am 48 years old and have lost a lot of money. Last summer I decided to take my financial future into my own hands and go back to graduate school for my MBA in financial planning. The only one I have to trust my and my families finances with is myself, I have my will to do what it takes to become an expert in investments, I have my family, and I have you and your team to help guide me through current economics. I get littered with investment letters every day, one more contradictive then the other. The only way to make informed decisions is to acquire the necessary education to spot firsthand what is valuable information and what is hype for a buck.

Just TELL me where to put my SEED money in…
1. option plays
2. stock plays
3. currency plays

AND help me grow and multiply it…i sense there is some major money making opportunities coming up in the next few months…

Technical analysis and staying with gold, silver, oil, coal and commodities with stops in place.

Because of so much noise in the market, often I did not take the good advice that MM provided.

thanks dr.weiss for all the good information you dispurse.i am a poor guy with very small investments mostly metal,banking and developing oil stocks.your advise is greatly enjoyed and read with serious interest.please carry on.

Lets have a consenscious of rrecommendations. Larry Edelson can be tellling us buy ghold and natural resources. He was so right before but just simply forgot to telll us when to jump ship on the natural resources (oil for starts). Then Dr Weissss will follow us sayhing get out of alll stocks and the market. Like see what gold is doing now but Dr Weisss is tellling us invest all we have only in shrot term T Bills payhing .000009 interest. And I can’t spare the $3,000 for currency deals and alll the literatrure he wants me to read about etc. He shoukld sit dod2wn with Larry and get their aact together esp with the threat of inflation in the not tooo distant future.

I bought some GLD today based on Sean’s reco’s which amounted to about 12% of my self-directed IRA or about 4% of our total of retirement accounts. The rest is in money markets (primarily treasury based). Obviously I need some help to take advantage of the opportunities that do exist while avoiding the pitfalls. 96% in money markets is not very rewarding but at least I am relatively safe until I have a good strategy. Martin, you and your people are among the very few who are giving the objective and unvarnished truth. You put the flesh on the bones of what had been my gut feelings and my confidence is increasing. But this market is a slippery slope unless you can get truly good advice from professionals.

There is a critical lack of confience and trust in the same leadership who created the
financial global crisis. As Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, told the Financial Times:
“Confidence is the most important thing, more important than gold or currency.”
Our current policies can be summarized in the following quote: “We don’t know what
we are doing, but we are doing a lot of it.”

Ocassionally, when I see Mr. Weiss on CNBC or one of your other associates and a question is put to one of you and the CNBC commentator seems not to like your answer because it to negative they cut you off by interrupting. Why not challenge them on this interrupion. You probably won’t be asked back. Oh well, they goes your TV career.

thanks again dr.weiss,i find your writing to be most informative and practical.will be watching and absorbing your wisdom.thanks.

Inverse ETF’s are the only thing that makes sense to me sometimes, and only for a day or two, no more than that, its too volatile. Money overseas has been sent out already just in case the US governement decides to freeze assets and we run out of luck…..I dont like Treasury bills at this point because it will end up saving the big crooks in Wall Street, I rather pay it safe in a tax haven somewhere else in the world.

Currency trading is something I would like to learn since all I’m doing is just small amounts of inverse ETF’s…….. maybe I can master a less volatile market!

Regards,

For an investment selection I would likely choose something related to oil and natural gas. I feel that oil and natural gas have been oversold and demand for each will grow in the coming years ahead. However, I don’t know the best way to make money from this idea. I would have more confidence to invest right now if the government would stop manipulating the market by having different rules for different companies. For example, the government let JP Morgan aquire Bear Stearns then let Lehmen Brothers fail only to turn around and then give AIG, Citigroup General Motors money while Circuit City received no money and went bankrupt. Why are the rules not the same for everyone?

I believe your idea of education in the markets is a good one that we can all use. However, all of us cannot afford to pay for another service on top of this one. Can education be more affordable?

What ever the investment advise it should include several parameters, especially for the people without a relative ample investment fund and who are relatively inexperienced. Heck, those of us who have been trading a long time need the same info as well:
1) The entry price of the invesment. Too often the gurus usually tell people to buy at a time when the price has peaked and is ready for the next cycle down. i.e., top of the Bollenger Band, MACD just turning down, RSI crossing down through 0, etc. 25% stops are NOT acceptable!
2) What is the reward to risk ratio? In my opinion it should be at least 4:1.
3) What is a reasonable stop for your level of risk based on the time that you enter the trade. Different for those with low tolerance vs high.
4) What is a reasonable sell strategy?
5) Once the trade turns profitable, how to protect the profits you have.

I dislike buying securities… I love selling them! Almost everyone knows how to buy, but in my experience, darn few know when to sell or how to use techincal sell tools such as trailing stops. And, very few people even think about selling only part of a holding vs the all of it.

I think the vast maority need this kind of info… over and over again, until they begin to think this way on every trade.

The investment selection offered by Mike’s Crisis Opportunity ETF trader has worked out well, supplemented by advice on World Currency Alert (or Options, if one is prepared to accept more risk). Living in Canada, I have lost money on Canadian stock recommendations from Canadian advisers that didn’t pan out, but recouped my losses from your colleagues’ U.S. recommendations. The test will be, as one of the commentators above wrote, “Will you call the end of the Bear Market?” And, to reiterate, “What is your consensus position on gold”: Following your recommendations, I still have significant gold holdings, but also puts on a gold ETF!

I too have had two very bad experiences with money managers. I have moved all my money to a broker account at Vanguard. I have signed up with a premium service with Morningstar and plan to place all my own trades again. THIS IS A BUY AND SELL MARKET, AND ALL THE MONEY MANAGERS ARE BUY AND HOLD. With a little study we can all become better at managing our own money, than many of the professionals.
I have been bitten twice, and I refuse to be bitten again.
Thanks for all of your prudent advise, I read your letter everyday.

G’day Martin,
I’m writing from Oz (Australia) to express my heartfelt thanks for all the good stuff that you people have been pouring into my mailbox over the last 5 years.
You saved me at least A$ 60,000 and I stand alone in a sea of bewildered, dejected and “lost” fellow retirees. Most, if not all, have listened to “advisers” who are out to line their own pockets with the poor suckers’ money.
Muchas, muchas gracias ! !
Maarten van de Loo

hi, i am a reader from australia. our 4 banks are AA rated, do not have US toxic assets, will suffer some bad debt due to defaulting companies, but they are all declaring good profitability despite writeoffs. at a current p/e of 7 and dividend yield of 9.5% i expect dividends to be maintained in 2009 but reduced in 2010 to 6% or so. at the current US$/A$ exchange rate buying our stocks is cheap for US citizens. we are not exposed in a direct way to US markets as we are asia centered raw material suppliers. i have been in the world’s mining and metallurgical industries since 1960 (getting old i know) in australia, africa, Germany and USA and i also recommend BHP-Billiton, world’s largest miner, but most importantly having the lowest cost mining operations and a debt/equity position of only 9%. As i tell my broker, who is in his early thirties, quoting Scripture: “this also will pass”. the sun will rise tomorrow and people will make a living.
Warm regards,
Dr. Chris Jonker

I just want to thank all of the idividuals that work with Martin for basicaly saving me from terrible losses that i was abble to avoid thanks to their warnings.

A stock option program similar to the currency program run by Jack Crook.

I did well with Jack Crooks advice on the currency options and I’ve signed up for your new program to trade puts and calls on currency options. What worries me is that as I learn how to make the decisions, I’ll have to watch the market every minute, or I’ll lose my “shirt”. Guess I’m used to getting those faxes and emails from “Weiss.”

We lost some money because we didn’t listen to your early warning system; however,
we heeded your advice in time to save 75% of our investments. Thanks.

How about a managed fund by Weiss experts that could be purchased in $1,000 increments for wealth preservation?? None of us really have the expertise to consistently improve our position in the markets, etf’s etc but you guys do. I have a neighbor that will be buying into the Weiss Treasury only fund for safety - but it would be nice to have honest professional managers at least trying to save what we do have if not help us make a few bucks in the bear market.

If the Feds who started this mess over 40 years ago would just get out of the way and allow our Free Market to do what it does best, then and only then might I feel good about investing. If there was a futures contract or option on the Free Market, I’d be long, long, long. For the Free Market WILL triumph AFTER it’s taken us through the deflationary depression we so need to clean out our massive trillions in debt - and prayerfully, along with it, clean out all those politicians who’ve stood in its way and piled on this debt in the process. Clearly, I’m very bearish now and expect to look more bullish in 10-15 years.

Question 2: We use a combination of charts (like Yahoo Charts) to track minumums, maximums, moving averages, and volume. Your group’s advice and research is invaluable for helping us focus on growing sectors and stay away from trouble (banks, financials, REITs, etc.) For short term trades (like Inverse ETF’s) we’ve been using covered calls instead of stop loss prices to help protect from losses. We’ve been burned several times with stop losses and all the volatility. Lately, we’ve also been noting the Option Call volumes to give some input on where traders think the price will go. For example, on SLV, it doesn’t look like too many people are betting that the price will go much above $13 or $14. Unfortunately, we bought ours last summer at $19. We’re over 60 and living on pension, SS, and our savings. Thanks to your early warnings, Martin and group, we only lost about 20% of our savings instead of the 40% or more that is the norm. Still, we want ways to help make that up over the next few years, so we can be comfortable in our retirement. We HAVE cut our spending way back.

My greatest fear? That the 40% down in the market is just the prelude to an 85-90% down over the next few months to two years. Some early signs of that happening would be helpful.

For me currencies was the investment selection because of liquidity and very nice trends that occur daily for the most part. For me that meant many opportunities and that meant training happened often, so a quicker learning curve.
Timing depends on the individual trader. I had experience with commodities before currencies so that helped me to know myself better in that I liked being out before days end and not having to stay in over night.
3rdly confidence came when I found something that I felt comfortable with and seen happening all the time and then practice practice practice to the point where I was no longer interested in other systems.

Martin,
I would love if your team could give us your top three or four investment or timing strategies. It is very hard to filter the various recommendations from your team when you have to focus on the job and family responsibilities. Information overload causes paralysis and missing the right opportunity.

Thanks for the wonderful work and recommendations.

r/
Rob

There is a never ending stream of get rich quick firms charging enormus sums for the right to follow their advise and it gets very tiring. We have always felt that your firm is about a straight up as any. Having said that,I guess we are saying that we would pay for your honest opinions. Our interest is in options.

Dear Martin,
I would like to know if I can get dividends on a mutual fund.
I did not get rid of my mutual fun as you told me to
as I didn’t know you yet then. Now I would trust you any time.
I bought some stock, some I still have. I suppose I
might as well keep my mutual fund now as it surely is
almost at the bottom.
Thanks again, Marjorie

I recently sold my house and put all of my money into the hands of an Amerisc Financial Advisor. Now I’m concerned that he may be too traditional for my well being. Woe is me.
Al

I cannot afford the higher priced offerings from Weiss (all of my investment money is inside 401k’s and I don’t want to create a distribution yet) BUT your excellent monthly report is affordable and I also find the daily e-mail discussions invaluable. A question I have pertains to the problem of buying into a gold fund out of a 401K. I have heard that this constitutes a “distribution” hence my gold purchases are limited to stock funds and not the actual physical gold. Keep up the good work! I still have most of my assets in safe holdings as you recommend.

Ditto’ Dick Weber.

Since, as far as I can tell, playing the markets are like gambling. With that said, give me the skills and information that I need to be able to make sure bets. Bets that I win instead of the house winning. I’m tired of the house winning all of the time! Help me earn the money I need to become a subscriber.

Thanks,

Dan

There is in my view a real crisis of confidence in governments globally, action which has been too little too late. The financial system has been overcomplicated is indeed complex by nature with so many trading instruments. The interdependency of global banking makes it so vunerable by default. Unless there is real effective means of isolating toxic debt, and evaluation of real assets, then the situation will only worsen as the crisis deepens and spreads so quickly like a virus.

There is real problem of trust with financial institutions and not knowing who to trust is part of the problem as banks, governments and regulators share the blame. However in the final analysis I have to believe that whilst these times are compared to the crash in 1929 and 1930’s and maybe unprecedented now, we must find a solution to this financial tsunami. If we can get a man on the moon then we have the ingenuity to get out of this crisis and hopefully built a better world at least for our children. And learn from these mistakes. God Bless your work and may it continue successfully. Yours sincerely, Stephen.

I couldn’t say it any better. “How about a managed fund by Weiss experts that could be purchased in $1,000 or $5000 increments for wealth preservation??”

My mutual funds have lost half of their value so I have a lot of money to make up.
I’m still trying to decide what is the best way.

The Australian ASX200 follows the Dow religiously. With Sydney being 15 hours ahead of New York, every trader can see by 4am what has happened with the Dow, Nasdaq & S&P.
This brings in the “Daytraders” who, should the USA market have risen after a previous poor day, pick up the low priced Australian “blue chips” in volume, then sell them after about 3-5 hours. The consequence is that at the end of the day you see a balloon shaped graph of the days trading.
Like others, I have absolutely no confidence in my Financial Adviser, despite all the letters after his name.

The one thing that never seems to go out of style in the history of mankind is gold. Gold is not a fad but something most men (and women) perpetually lust after. It is the only thing I feel confident investing in now - - - before the manic buying stage is upon us, which is when I hope I have the good sense to take my winnings and cash out. We may have deflation today, but the unprecedented government spending we are now witnessing is setting the stage for rampant inflation in the years ahead. In that economic environment gold will inevitably be king because no one worldwide will any longer have confidence in any paper currency including the once almighty dollar.

The advice you have given to date has been excellent and helped me save whatever federeal reserve notes I had at risk. However we still need to address the underlying problem, Controlled markets. How can someone give advise on something that is completely unnatural? The currency markets are completely controlled. They can print, change rates, deflate. Currency markets are more scary to me then the regular markets. How does money make money unless man manipulates it? I recieved your invitation to buy the currency trader at a discount but honestly im scepticle. To me if you think you have something good, give it to me and when I make money with it the first proceeds go to you until its paid. The way you have it structured im out the cost and then some if I fail. The trial is not enough time to make money and learn. What if all the world currencies collapse and they go to one world currency. We are heading in that direction.

Sam Matiello wrote the following at 02.11.09 at 6:43 pm
“I would like to have a better way to play the gold market instead of buy and hold for long term. The swings in gold and the way it moves is very inconsistent with the theories you read from day to day and stop-loss strategies don’t work well. The way gold moves you can be stopped out way too often. Knowing phases and absolute best times to buy and sell would be helpful.”

Swinger comments:
I’ve been swing, day and scalp trading GLD for sometime now. I agree with you Sam that moves are very inconsistent, and definitely stop-loss methods don’t work, thus making it necessary to enter a position and stay very active until the exit.

Over the last few weeks with GLD, I NEVER go short, because the “overall” trend is definitely upward therefore it’s possible to get burned fast. I only go long after a substantial dip and don’t get greedy. Generally I exit a bit early and only do a maximum of 3 RTs (roundtrips) per day. Sometimes only one RT per day is enough for me to meet my business plan.

I only trade during the ExtAM session along with the first and last hours of the Day session. Try never to hold an open position over night and definitely not over the weekend.

I find that GLD is primary gold related ETF that has enough liquidity to allow this type of trading. Most others are much too slow.

By the way, I sleep well at night.

I am beginning to wonder if it is time to get into the market yet? Or, is it better to wait until things come down even more? Would it be a good idea to short specific Companies, if yes, which ones?

Thank you,
Richard Provencher

Problem: Growing your wealth in this kind of market.

Yes you could just go to the sidelines (Treasures, or even CD’s at a few safe banks) and mainly try to hold onto principle. However that forgoes growth – and it could be forgoing growth for quite a long time. However cutting growth out of the equation for a long time might throw the monkey wrench into the retirement plans of many, especially if losses in the markets have been taken in the meantime. Remember natural resources, oil, Asian decoupling and (gasp) Uranium? Yes we know that Martin is human and can make mistakes also… but my point is that even a faithful Weiss groupie could have taken some hits on one or more of those areas and be motivated to act to help catch up. Please see the article (at the end of this email) by Ben Stien, who admits that he was asleep at the switch when it comes to bank warnings (he didn’t see them the way Peter Schiff did) but he also correctly points out that Peter Schiff may have been right on banks – but Schiff blew the call on commodities and foreign markets, and that Schiffs clients were a lot worse of the Ben was himself with plain old Vanguard indexing.

Okay, investing is easy if you know which way things will go. The problem of course is that there is some degree of uncertainly in any kind of investment, and this market has provided a whole lot of that – hence the concern. Some people (including Larry Edelson) have said that we’ve already seen the bottom and things will be going up from there. He’s not alone – Warren Buffett has in effect indicated that he things further major collapse will not happen, and a lot of people listen to him, with good reason for the most part. Needless to say if you short the market (the obvious investment choice) and Larry and Warren are right – you’ll get killed.

Therefore I suggest that investors look to venues that are more predictable than today’s stock market. As long as you can figure out where things are going with some reasonable level of reliability you can invest and make money in it. Enter currencies – (right now anyway) It certainly appears to be a more predictable market that the stock market. I think Jack has made it clear that USD is going up for the duration - and why that will probalby continue for quite some time. (I don’t agree with Larry on this one). In fact (based on Jacks thinking, the USD will go up whether the national economy is good or bad, because of what’s happening overseas. That’s the kind of probability you need to take an investment postition in something.

This does not mean everyone should rush out and get into the spot market. However I see nothing wrong with some ETFs in currency – and DRR (double short Euro) is a decent way to go long the dollar. (There other ways… but I think DRR is as good as any double leverage ETF for this as shorting the Euro is just about the same thing as going long the dollar, which the Euro is measured against. (Keep in mind that the Euro constitutes about 57% of the US index anyway, and other European currencies (notably the GBP and CHF) are also in that calculation). Options (and even the spot market) are other choices, of course.

However Larry is clearly right about Gold. It is predictably, going up (as a safe haven in a world of uncertainty and garbage-ified fiat currencies) and probably will continue as long as there is global financial turmoil. (Now that’s something I think we can predict) The fact that gold is not going up in concert with the USD says a lot because gold has to be strong enough to overcome it’s USD denomination to go up a the same time the USD goes up. Therefore when gold has positive correlation with the USD, it’s REALLY strong – and that ‘s what’s happened of late. There are lots of ways to go long on gold, from ETF’s, to options to gold miners, etc. For the more aggressive (and hopefully more experienced) there is also a futures market for gold as well. Larry is not particularly high on Sliver, but a lot of other people see as a companion to gold, and silver does in fact have a very strong positive correlation to gold historically.

Finally there is clearly a bubble in the long-term treasury market, as you have pointed out (in a service). Jim Rogers was on the ‘net recently talking about that, and suggesting that it’s the “last great bubble” – dramatic talk perhaps, but a point well worth taking in. With increases stress the last couple of days LT treasuries have reversed their fall and started to climb sharply again as those in the stock markets resume their panic and look for money parking lots - but that also has to be a bubble that lends predictability you can work with soon or or later, even if you missed the move this month (which I did not). At some point it will fall and shorting it (again) could be a good thing.

Jesse Livermore, the famous (or perhaps infamous) stock trader is credited with saying that you have to have a feel for which way the market is going (to be successful in trading). That statement is filled with brilliance – (regardless of whether the man was brilliant or not). I’ve also heard the saying about options (from a long time trader) that there is no such thing as a good option or option strategy, or a bad option or option strategy. Anything can be good (or bad) depending on the movement of the underlying asset. That’s essentially saying the same thing Livermore was reputed to have said.

Of course trading and investing are not exactly the same, but they do have one thing in common – you have to be on the right side of the position (have to be able to predict the market you ‘re dealing in with some level of reliability) to make a profit from it. So if stocks are not predictable enough to invest in with some degree of predictablity, invest in something else. There are other things… probably more than these three… but it’s a start.

Now if you have any ideas of other markets that have some reasonable level of predictability, let everyone know – because that’s what we want to hear.

John

Yahoo! Finance article by Ben Stein
Posted on Monday, February 2, 2009, 12:00AM
Some months ago I was a guest on a cable news show; the discussion centered on what were then the early tremors in the stock prices of a number of financial companies. Rumors about the losses in subprime had been floating around, and many major financial firms had been hard hit.
We began by discussing the recent price drop of Merrill Lynch after talk of major problems had been found — or allegedly found — on its books. I said I believed that Merrill was a solid firm and that its stock price revealed an unrealistically pessimistic view of the firm’s future. At the day’s price, I said, Merrill was a major bargain.
Another guest on that show was financial figure, stock picker, and prognosticator Peter Schiff. He strongly disagreed, saying the financials were in terrible trouble.
Yes, I Was Wrong
Now, it is an understatement to say that Mr. Schiff was right and I was wrong in this case. I had foolishly believed Merrill’s protestations of its soundness. Moreover, I had mistakenly believed that the federal government would never allow the financial sector to reach the edge of collapse without supervision and rescue across the board. Again, I was wrong and Peter Schiff was right — in a very big way.
Since that time, I have received a huge amount of email from Mr. Schiff’s fans, telling me what a loser I am and how hopeless a dunce I am. I am not quite sure why that is. I often disagree with others on TV and have never gotten the volume of hate mail I have received from Mr. Schiff’s followers.
Since I have repeatedly acknowledged my mistakes, I just delete the email and go on with my day. But in the past few days, an article appeared in ‘The Wall Street Journal’ that was quite telling about what frail vessels we humans are when it comes to money.
‘The Wall Street Journal’ Weighs in on Peter Schiff
In this article there was an analysis of how Mr. Schiff’s investors at his Euro-Pacific entity have done. To put it mildly, the word is bad. While full results were not made available, the article stated that the Euro-Pacific investors’ portfolios were often down 50 percent or more in 2008. This was in part because of misplaced bets on commodities and stocks of developing nations, and large wagers against the dollar.
As we now know, stocks of less-developed countries have been seriously demolished in the correction, far more so than the major U.S. indexes. Commodities, especially energy commodities, have fallen sharply. And the dollar has rallied amazingly against almost all currencies as investors seek shelter in what is generally held to be the safest country with the safest currency.
So Peter Schiff was right about financials — but he was wrong about many other elements of the investment picture.
Comparing Portfolios
Your humble servant, Ben Stein, and his writing partner, financial guru Phil DeMuth, have on many occasions published our model portfolio. It is not at all complex. It is just half Vanguard Total U.S. Bond Index and half Vanguard Total Stock Market Index. It is not sexy — although we have offered ways to spice it up a little.
Thanks to the strength of bonds and the relative strength of the U.S. stock market compared with overseas markets, our model portfolio was down roughly 20 percent in 2008. This is obviously not great compared with an up result. But it is pretty good compared with the results that Mr. Schiff apparently posted.
I do not mention this to brag. I have some investments outside the model portfolio that have done extremely poorly since the correction began, and I make mistakes constantly. My point is something else.
Gurus Aren’t Miracle Makers
Do not look to gurus to accomplish miracles. Sure, they can on occasion. But the markets are so unpredictable and complex that the future is simply unknowable in any short period.
Warren Buffett is by far the smartest man in finance I have ever met. Yet even Mr. Buffett has made extremely serious errors by investing heavily in bank stocks. He even made a disastrously wrong bet (so far, I think it will turn out fine in the end) by selling an immense put on the stock market, wagering it will revert to its 2007 highs within seven years. (Marked to market, this is a nightmare, but if Buffett thinks it will turn out OK, who am I to say it won’t?)

YUP! we have 8 (eight) years of ‘terror’ WAR!!! everyday all tv’s telling us red/yellos/orange… we were going to be attach. I told my husband, don’t you see what’s going on? he (Bush) is trying to distract us for st…. economy. when finally people got tired of that, he (Bush) invented the illigal inmigration… again to distract us from paying attebtuib if how things were going, and people were not listening to some experts, because, YES WE WERE TOLD by some experts (not the banks, not the financial brokers, not… the people responsible to check how things were going) but by some economits. And finally we got what was expected because no one in power was paying attention. And now, the gobernment are giving money to the banks who took the money from people and left them with nothing. Many lost ALL LIFE SAVINGS, but they do not get paid for this lost.

I WILL NEED TO KNOW WHEN AND WHERE TO INVEST.

An effective way of using trailing stops would help lock in any potential profits, and help mitigate against big losses.

Trying to keep a business from going under and life management. I agree that having a choice of 6 closed in mutual funds that be in line with your recommendations and would be a provide a mix depending on risk, and age of investor.

A help for me would be for some choice of Funds,under your name, for folks with 100,000 or less-okay more is good too for those who still have money.For those of us with a bit of moeny(UNDER a 100,000..) looking for place to earn a bit,but also on the brink of loss of full mental ability to tackle a new task,so unable to grasp the buy sell, etc.not follow written information in a langauge unfamiliar to them.(me) At the moment looking for safe, with no more huge losses.Otherwise my fear of baglady will be realized. Dank U Wel

I am stuck in limbo. I recently switched to a different broker, as my original broker left for another firm. The portfolio is with the same brokerage house, but the commissions
were raised to 1.5% on each trade. So far I have gotten two pieces of advice in the course of several months. One was to buy the dogs of the dow, which I am losing money on, and I have sold several postitions and gone to cash, which is sitting there at .5% I am very frustrated and need more guidance.

Understanding when to buy and when to sell is almost more important to what you buy and sell. I need help with timing my investments and spotting trends early so you can get in and out at the right times! Buy and hold will not work well for most investments given the current market conditions.

In addition to the items mentioned many of us need a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond “saftey in “T-Bills”. With the level of uncertanity in the markets, systemic problems with the Financial System and prospects of a declining dollar, inflation, etc.
Expert assistance is needed more than ever to help us perserve wealth, generate income and prepare for the turn-around.

First, I agree that you and your team are doing a great job. Brokers seem to give bad advise and commissions are high. With under $100,000 to invest then requires sucess on just about every trade (can’t afford one or two loosers to start). Don’t realy know if the best way to go is: ETF’s, Currencies or CD’s?
At 63, options, mutual funds and even big name company stocks a gamble.
Everbank has a number of CD options but, I’m not sure if that’s the way to go.

I would feel more comforted if the banks were lending all over the world. I would also feel more comforted if confidence in keeping jobs was brought back.

I wish I had more information, more educated about ETFs and inverse ETFs. I think that having a better understanding of what kind of ETFs that are available and better knowledge of sector rotatations would immensely help me. We need somebody like you Martin and your team to prepare us better at the use of ETFs. I don t mind to pay for it but only if that could lead us to be able to do it one day on our now .

Hi Martin,
I receive your daily information here in Australia with interest.
I agree that “Wall Street” has created some of the mess involved with peoples investments and if the stockbroker does not believe in the outcome of a stock should he/she recommend that stock?
Simple remedy, the stockbroker will earn commission only if the stock behaves as recommend to their client and will have commission “clawed back” otherwise.
Can you see a problem with my reasoning?
Very much enjoy your newsletter.

I like your previous advice. Most of my assets are in short term treasury notes and my 401k is in a money market account. I’m waiting ,watching, and wondering about Washington stupidity. I’m in no particular hurry to invest.

At this uncertain dangerous time in financial markets, simply sitting on the sideline with money market or short-medium term Treasuries and perhaps some precious metals or mines is ok for some reserve portfolio percentage, but not more. We also need balanced guidance re quality dividend paying stocks with reasonable or little debt and on which covered options can be written for reasonable income, reasonable limited downside risk, and long-term growth potential during the coming inflationary cycle. At the same time, we need some inverse ETF and short recommendations to maintain some portfolio protection against positive income equity investments. There is too much bull and bear investment advice and we need more common sense balanced recommendations.

Martin,
The biggest obstacle to making money is tuning out all the extraneous noise. It is tough to do, but I’ve decided to reduce the noise by making Money & Markets and all of your fine contributing writers as my primary source for financial information. There are many fine observers of the market available to whom one could listen for advice, but none of them can match your credibility, and your concern for the average investor, most of whom you don’t personally know. Where else in this market can one find such a courageous statement as get your money to safety? Thank-you Martin.

Thanks Martin for your display of humanity. Irvin Weiss can be very proud of the son he helped develop. These are some dangerous times not only in america but across the globe. Just why are we not hearing more about china’s, europe’s and latin america’s corporate and political coruption. Just why isn’t china’s inverse etf (fxp) moving higher. God bless you! Sincerly Anthony G

The timing strategy that I need right now concerns today and tomorrow.
It must not be concerned too much about what may happen after tomorrow.
In other words, I am a trader.

Martin, thanks ever so much for your efforts in spreading the truth about the current market situation. Your insights are precient in both timing and efficacy. For small investors like myself we at least know what not to do.
You haven’t written about the derivative situation for some months. Any news on what the outcome might be? What about speculation in metals like gold, uranium or rare earth elements?
Thanks,
Jim

Do not feel like investing at all till we see signs that we are close to a bottom.
{probabably a long way to go}

i sure like jerry kings idea, he should be in politics! as far as the question goes, what investment-selections; equities, options, comodities, and high yield bonds (muni, corp., or treasury) the problem, is not knowing exactly when to move from one to the other. it seems i’m always late to the party, and don’t realize everyone else is leaving. having somebody that i can trust, to advise me with facts for the need to change would be exactly what i need. the more i read yall’s emails, the more i’m trusting what you’re saying. before, i thought you were to bearish.

Thank you so much for saving retirement for my Husband Mike and I. We are within 3 years of retiring and our portfolio was up about 3% last year. That is so AWESOME when all of our friends and co-workers are pleased if they ONLY lost 25-30%. Some have to postpone their retirement or take jobs out of state when they really don’t want to move (but they can’t afford to lose their jobs because they can’t afford to retire).

Please continue to help us keep our money safe. I am still in money market funds and short term treasuries. I keep hearing that this is not the right thing to do, that treasuries are overpriced and the money market doesn’t earn anything. am I right to stick to my guns for now? Please help!

For each market,identifying the oversold oscilator for buys and the overbought oscilator for sales…

NONE . . . The only thing I feel comfortable with right now are FDIC insured CDs in a range of 6 months to 1 year for maturity. I’ve found several smaller local banks that are paying 4% so I’ll just have to live with that for now.

I use your commentaries as an anchor to steady my euphoria when my equities start to gain dramatically, remembering that what goes up often must come down. Your “doom and gloom” prognosis helps me to remember to take regular profits (have an exit strategy). I use a technical analysis market timing strategy to play inverse etf’s (SRS, SKF, FAZ, BGZ, TZA) and am long oil with DXO and ERX, but only on dramatic moves away from the trend. For instance, Ill place a buy order for FAZ at 40 when it’s been holding at 50, inferring that I’m getting a better deal than trying to buy in on momentum and ride. Usually, I’m in and out, sometimes a few times a day, but usually no longer than three or four days, and if I can make a 10 or 15% gain in that time on these high volatility etf’s I’m satisfied. I’m out and wait for another entry point and do it again. Since I play these on margin, an example of recent trades brought in $761 on $5000 of trades. My cost? $48 for the trades, $4.93 for the use of the brokerage money. A $761 return in four days on a $53 dollar investment isn’t too shabby; don’t know what this is percentage-wise, but the extra 3-4 thousand a month is welcome, as far as I’m concerned. The size of the account that I trade is only about $62,000, so you can see I’m earning a pretty good rate playing the downside of the market, and selectively playing energy long. This choppy market is perfect for this strategy, although I do often have the problem of impatience when I am on the sidelines.

I used 80% of the money in my account to buy GLD, today it’s up 15%.
Is it time to sell yet?

I have been wanting to trade currency options but have not had much luck getting set up with my regular broker. I need a broker who I can trust who trades directly on the Philidelphia exchange. Do you have a sugestion? I have followed your advise on buying “DOG, SSO, SKY, PSQ”, and it has somwhat leveled out the volitility of my portfolio. When the DOW and the banks go up real fast it is a wild ride. I appreciate all the help I have gotten from your publications. Thanks!

Martin, At the present time I am invested about 75% in AA insured municipal bonds and I am down about 5% overall. My broker SAYS
THAT MY TIMING IS GOOD AND THAT IN ABOUT 5 MONTHS I WILL BE ABLE TO SELL AT A GOOD PROFIT. Should I sell it all now or hold and wait?

On my first message you said holding for Moderation. What does that mean?

thank you martin for helping me to preserve the funds in my IRA. I would like to find out about silver and gold mutal funds which could be purchased in a small seed account for no more than 5,000.

Precious Metals anyone ? what are the thoughts here…..seems like inflation will hit sooner or later////

Tomorrows newpaper would be nice. Seriously, I read a lot about trending theories and practices. From Elliot Wave to Fibonacci to Gann, there are several analysis tools and schools of thought that sound very good. The trick seems to be finding the right investment that is adhering to the trend pattern in the present market, and of course understanding the theory. One thing I have not heard from the amazingly talented crew at Money and Markets is what theories they follow and what tools they use. I would love to be able to “follow along” with the staff projections using the same tools. This would definitely give me more confidence.

I would like to learn about option straddles, or ways to offset the risk when owning a
stock or in buying options. Don’t quite understand selling calls, or straddles as a
strategy.

Thank you for all your help and advice…it has been of enormous psychological support.

The best current investment strategy that would have my confidence?

1) Identify investments that are volatile.
2) Use fundamental analysis, not only on the equity, but the economy, and technological trends to identify potential significant long-term price moves, such as oil will get more expensive, financial stocks values will go down. Thus identify potential short or long positions to take.
3) Use technical analysis to determining buy and sell points.

Technical Analysis
In an irrational market, buy and sell decisions are based by fear and hope, and not on fundamental values. Technical analysis looks at what goes on in the market without regard to the reasons. However, to minimize the investment risk, I would not trust technical analysis to decide whether to go long or short on a given investment.
I am amazed how well technical analysis even works with ETFs. I don’t think EFTs were even in existence when the principles of technical analysis was worked out.

Udo

P.S. Thanks, Martin, for sharing your views on the current market situation so generously. Being aware of the (correct) global picture is the first step to stay out of foolhardy investments.

I’ve handed my money over in the past and gotten burned.
Since then, I’ve been preoccupied in making my own decisions with your help and a couple other advisors. All past comments are the same as my own except I sure would like to hand over my money again, since I’m tired…so tired…of it all. But then again,
I’d rather blame myself than kill the people who have my money. I don’t think the politicians know anything about economics and particular in this complicated global world. But they sure know how to say Yay or Nay when it affects their own pocketbook.
I think I’ve turned cynical.

Martin, I am so frustrated and afraid, after losing a third of my retirement account. I don’t know when I will have enough courage to jump back in the market. I only hope that reading all the info that you send out will give me enough knowledge to help make the right decision. I don’t think I can invest again until I know we are at the bottom. How will we know this.

Thanks

So, what is a retired person with about $100,000 left in cash, (after having lost about half of my retirement portfolio) to do? I have no retirement income except modest rentals which pay some living expenses. I have lost confidence in investing altogether, I must confess, and feel frozen.

Most of us want specific help with selecting the assets that we need and their buy/sell timing. Now that you know that there are hundreds of us following you and believing in you, why not make your services very reasonable? What you don’t make in fees will be made up in volume.
You have always seemed honest and at this time that is a tremendous asset.

Okay, so I’m not a contrarian. At 45 years old, I’m still bullish. I do have the time. However, like may others, my confidence in the financial markets is fleeting - fast. I just can’t believe I live in such a world of so little trust any more. This is America. This is my country. It works because of our faith in ” the ” system.
As mentioned in one of the previous comments, I too am frozen. I am with one of the ” better ” banks and would like to refinance to a lower interest rate. But like many others, how low will rates go, when is the right time, will the Stimulus Bill, influence rates to go lower?
I am getting daily rate alerts from Wells Fargo. My target rate was 5.0%. My primary residence is at 6.0% fixed. On wedsnesday, February 11, 2009, I was notified that I had reached my target rate. Yet I have decided to wait and see if it will go lower. I also have investment property at 6.4% and 6.7% respectively. Should I wait with the expectation that rates will continue to decrease?

From you, and Nouriel Roubini, I have conclued there is no choice as far as investing at this time. Cash positions are the choice
Geither will only make this crisis worse. He has failed as head of Ny Fed. (ie: not controlling banks and brokerages) and did not realize the ramifications of HIS decission on Lehman. Presently does not have the fortitude to nationalize banks or let them fail. His background in economics does not qualify him to attend to this crisis. Until there is solvency in banks, permitting them to lend to industry/corporations there will not be economic expandtion, or for that matter true job creation. Look forward to your ideas.

What investments strategies make sense? Why solid stocks with wide moats and good didvidends, and inverse funds.

Lets all sit on the sidelines and let the market come to us. I believe the dow is heading below 6000 soon.

The best answer I can give to your 2nd question is to follow the old expression, “Don’t tell me what to buy and sell, but WHEN to buy and sell.” I would add to this that you and your staff also know what to buy and sell as well as when.
This essential information and advice is what would be most useful.

I haven’t tried this yet, but it seems with all the volatility, option “strangles” on DIA would be a low risk formula. I have some PM stocks, & do covered call writing on already eaten down stocks, & PM stocks.

Martin, I have kept some of your newsletters in order to remind myself to stay out of the market. Thanks to you and your dad!! He gave you a critical eye. No income, and no appreciation, combined with inflation makes for a lower standing of living. If buy and hold is dead, are we to become traders? I dont think Weiss Nation is made up of trader types. Your video confrences and promotional emails seem to end up with an opportunity to put money on the table for some program that I can not understand or test. Maybe we just need your continuing observations about the big picture, so we can use that info as a guide to making our own decisions. Over the last year you clearly showed us the problems with the obscene amounts of debt. It was up to us to act. I thank you. Will you know when we can project a healthy market ??? As a retired person, I need income advice, preservation of capital advice and advise on a way to hedge against the inflation our government is creating and living off.

I would like clear advice.Even this website,which is terrific,can be both bearish and bullish on the same day on almost the same topic.Please don”t confuse us as much as everyone else.

Has our currency actually become worthless? How does one survive a communistic/socialistic state?

In this market, it is best to trade. Day trading is best unless you have sound reasons for believing that holding a particular issue or ETF provides an excellent opportunity.
Charting (minutes, hour, days, weeks and months) gives one a clear indication of when it’s time to close a position. In a bear market based on a depressionary outlook, gold and reverse ETF’s offer splendid opportunities. Additionally, input from M&M and its knowledgeable staff is of significant and meaningful help in evaluating investment opportunities and solidifying decisions. One the whole, your team is great - and your evaluations are right on the money.

As an aside, I have speculated in professionally managed and self-managed currency trading. I have found it to be be very difficult to trade currenciies and I did better in my self managed account then I did in the fully managed account.

Perhaps, (to instill confidence in your support for currency trading), you should run 4 to 6 weeks of “open” currency trades before soliciting a significant cash commitment from potential clients.

Sincerely,

Bert

I have been looking at dividend paying stock where the yields are around 20%. I then diregard those in businesses which are highly exposed to cyclical factors eg construction and financial stocks. Even after that, I still worry that stocks will go significantly lower - even a stock involved in storage business which I would usually think is less exposed to economic volatility than say IT and consulting businesses. Is there any way to guage the likely bottom of the cycle so as to have confidence in buying again other than waiting for technical charts to show a bottom over time?

Shoulda. coulda woulda… if I set a 20-25% stop loss on all stocks last year I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today. And I thought about doing it. What do they say? Good intentions pave the way to hell?

Would like more than monthly advice that I get from Mr. Cook… Also would suggest you have your staff eliminate charts, that I dont understand, unless they are accompanied by an explantion of what is being shown to me.

Martin,

I thought you might enjoy the following bit of original thinking.

As an aside, please explain the difference (if any) between a Ponzi scheme and continuing deficit bailouts.

Bert

The best timing strategy is posted by Martin A. Armstrong back in September of 1999.
Astonishingly accurate. See it on the web at ; The business cycle and the future. Next turning point 2009.29 or mid April. Put on your seat belt DOWN WE GO to 2011.45 mid June 2011. Money and Markets is LOOK YOU IN THE EYE ACCURATE ON WHAT IS COMING.

I started seeing abnormalities that I couldn’t understand early in 2008. I talked with a fellow trader and very good friend whose knowledge of the markets is more advanced than my own and was surprised to hear that he was getting nervous and starting to close out his trades also. I think this was around March or april.
I wanted to continue to earn but didn’t want to be in the stock market untill I could figure out what was going on. Around July it was clear that big trouble was on it’s way. By then I had decided I would trade currencies but was not sure I could trade without getting stopped out constantly. While searching the net I came across Jack Crooks’ WCO Alert and subscribed. Mr. Crooks is an incredibly astute observer of global markets. He offers clear, concise commentary on what is happening and why.
I started with $2500 in July and at the moment that $2500 is $26,500 and growing.
The point I am trying to make is that there’s no shame in not being able to figure this out. If the market is in turmoil and beyond your level of risk tolerence, then get out. A lot of people think there are only two positions: Long or Short. There are actually three. The third is Flat.
I know enough about Mr. Crooks and Dr. Weiss to say that if you are reading M&M you are safe. You are getting the truth here. The blog asks what we would like to learn to feel better about investing. The short answer is “The truth”.

I am probably an idiot, even though I have read every “conflicting” financial advisory I
could afford to buy or get my hands on for five years. I have dropped $100,000 in the last year after buying low cost stocks of geothermal, wind, solar, gold, gas, & nanotech such as INTK, all that I truly believe in for our future survival and well-being. I fully
believe I will have that loss back plus another $100,000 within two years. I have been upgrading based on many Weiss suggestions. I have over 300,000 shares, with quite a number in each of my favorites, so on runups I can sell half (or some such) and ride the other half to heaven or buy back on major drops. I believe I would sell Fmac, and Fmae.

Having been burned last year when all this started I have been
out of the market. I had taken a small jump in the European
market and the very next day got clobbered. That market had
been a winner until I got in.
Now I’m just watching and waiting. My retirement says I have
to be careful. No Loosers. Some of these markets, I have no
knowledge in and will leave them alone.
I am watching individual stocks in gold, energy and infrastructure
and so far, in general, they are, except oil, in a slow uptrend.
But, I’m unable to convince myself this will continue.
So I just continue to wait. I don’t know when I will feel comfortable
to get in again.
Its like waiting for the next shoe to drop. So far that
shoe seems to have Marxism written on it.

Mr. Martin:

The govement is currently in heavy debt.
Is it possible to go into hyperinflation?
Thanks to you.

Florence

I really am confused. Just do not know who to trust. I think you can only go into UST’s or money markets.

I would also like specific information on where it’s safe to keep cash. You’ve given info on Banks and I feel pretty secure in the banks I’m in. But I’d like to know which BROKERAGES are likely to be here tomorrow, and which are likely to crash. For example, I have sizeable assets at AG Edwards which I always liked, but now it’s been taken over by Wachovia. I’m also at UBS. Stay or go? Go where?

Is anywhere safe anymore? (I’m talking about assets that are well over the FDIC insured limit).

A long time actual documented track record of investment selections & timing strategies that I could use & duplicate that consistently won in any kind of market would influence me to invest right now.

Is there a way you could help us determine when the deflation forces will likely yield to the inflation forces, and how to invest accordingly?

Thank you.

HELLO MARTIN: TO IMPROVE THE CHANCES OF ANY INVESTMENT,( FINANCIAL GAMBLE), ONE MUST BECOME A SCHOLAR OF INTERNATIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS; BOTH SOCIAL AND CULTURAL PLUS FINANCIAL. NOBODY SHOULD INVEST IN ANY COUNTRY’S MARKETS UNTIL THEY UNDERSTAND THE REASONS FOR RESERVE BANK INTEREST RATE MOVES, ENSUING MOVES IN CURRENCIES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESOURCE AND RAW MATERIALS PRICES,(EG: OIL). TO UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS, ONE MUST KEEP UP WITH POLITICS IN INTER-DEPENDENT ECONOMIES. SOUNDS LIKE A LOT BUT I LOVE ALL THIS STUFF AND IT HAS WORKED FOR ME. I HAVE BEEN IN TEXAS FOR 26 YEARS FROM NEW ZEALAND AND LIVED IN AUSTRALIA FOR 5 YEARS.GOOD LUCK TO YOUR MANY DEPRESSED SUBSCRIBERS MARTIN. PS: I TOO BELIEVE THAT YOUR OPINIONS ARE “RIGHT ON THE MONEY”, SO TO SPEAK.

I would like to know were to find what the traders are up to as the day gos on. There are sites that show how many people are buying ,but that are also programs or websites that tell you how many trader are shorting the market. Were can I find this information with a bit of research, that I can do,and willing to study
Kind regards
mike sloot

I have gotten totally out of the market, since its so unpredictable, and have put everything in laddered CD’s. They don’t make much, but it beats losing the farm!

I see comments from others with limited funds to start out with and the dilemma always is, where do we start and what is the safest start. Jack’s currency trading? Larry’s resource options? Etc, etc. Judging from the results of the guy above starting with $2500 in Jacks currencies deal, that’s likely where I should start out but when barraged with so many investing programs and services to choose from it is so hard to know what to do. With a larger pot it would probably make sense to spread around among all the services but this gets to be time consuming to monitor and trade them all. On the timing aspect, it would be good to know what reco’s are super time sensitive and which ones should be watched for a suitable (best) entry point. Also when a reco is no longer valid because of unexpected turns in the market. Finally, allocation adjustment advice would be useful. A while back M&M recommended no more than 25% of portfolio in gold and gold stocks but should that be adjusted now? If the case for gold is as compelling as it seems, why not more?

I would like to explore receiving comfortable dividends while I wait for this market to calm down. The problem is that many companies are cutting their dividends and I need substantial guidance as to where to direct my investments in this area. I did well (thanks to you) with the short ETFs last year, and it looks like my gold investments might do well this year.

Martin, I started looking at your news letter too late and my J&J , PG and twenty other great names are down and I will loose a ton selling now, should I not hang in there? Pat

I have been reading a book on value investing that is probably familiar to you. It’s Benjamin Graham’s The Intelligent Investor, and since his best student was Warren Buffett, who is the most succesful investor of alltime, and Graham is lauded as the best investment advisor of the 20th Century. I’m reading very carefully what he says, which makes a lot of sense. He says never to buy stocks in a bull market, and conversely, to buy in a bear market. His margin of safety principle comes into mind, because of the relatively low price you’re buying for stock, you’re reducing your prospects of loss to a bare minimum, but at the same time maxmizing your profit potential. He says never to overpay for stocks, and try to obtain them at a discount price. I would also plan to purchase his book with David J. Dodds titled Security Analysis. Even though The Intelligent Investor came out in the 1940s, many of those principles hold true today. The Warren Buffett Way: Investment Strategies of the World’s Greatest Investor is another excellent read. The investors, or money managers, that continually make pheomenal gains over time, usually stick to the fundamentals, and aren’t swayed by Wall Street (Buffett’s investing philosophy runs counter to what Wall Street analysts says), and they don’t chase growth stocks or the latest fad. They are concerned with value investing and investing over a longterm horizon and not seeking a get rick quick scheme. The people who have become wealthy as investors, have done it over time, using a disciplined style of investing. People who hire people who take foolish risks with their money, should fire these people. Peter Lynch, who headed the Fidelity Magellan fund, and achieved extraordinary returns over a 20 year period, is another money manager/investor, whose style is worth emulating.

Martin,

I would like to thank you for getting me to safety before I lost my shirt. I do not think we have a normal market but rather an Alice in Wonderland situation where up is down and down is up and where no good dead goes unpunished.
To answer to the question: I am really not sure, because there are so many suggested services. I think ultimately I have to develop my own system and take full responsibility for the results. The missing ingredient in the recommendations that I have followed is timely exit so that even if you have a gain, you do not give it all back.

I am a retired Final Advisor but am glad I am not dealing with client concerns now. I just bought my first Fix & Flip house because I feel that Real Estate will be a better investment than the stock market. By aiming at the low end of the market because I hope that more people will be able to get a mortgage instead of paying for an apartment. I plan for a 50% return in 4 months by buying a distressed foreclosed house owned by a financial company.

I have been hornswaggled a few times. I’ts abuyer beware their are more sceemers than screamers. Did you hear our elected heros in congress today drilling the bankers on their pay,not loaning the TARP money,But the best one was how hated they were for this big mess that they got us into. Like that big beautyful home that alot of folks had to have just can’t aford anymore cause the company moved the job over to china and India or somewhere. The stockes shot up to some unreal number. I’ts a good idea for our elected heros to vote their pay raise in or buy a new jet to fly them around at taxpayers exspense. If we look close enough they could be behind on their bills or may be don’t even pay all of them. My point being the pot calling the kettle black is not getting any thing done.Besides this all started back in 1997 fugging the numbers a little.

If I had $2,500 dollars to invest, I would purchase silver or gold bullion for the long term. Governments are no longer using the printing presses but are pressing numbers on a keyboard to create currency. There is a satisfaction in holding a gold or silver bullion coin. It is a thing of beauty, a work of art. I would be willing to endure the short term volitility of the metals to realize the possible gains that this unprecedented economic atmosphere may produce. Catastrophe is a distinct possibilty for this economy and the metals thrive in chaos. At the present prices, I think it is important just to have the precious metal and not worry about the short term price trends. Bullion is getting harder and harder to find at the dealers and coin stores. There is a shortage of the physical metals. American Silver Eagles were going for $4 above spot and Canadian Gold Maple Leafs $55 above spot price at a local coin shop. I think this is a very fair price in this market. One last note. If we turn hyperinflationary, as in Weimar Germany, one ounce of gold may again be able to by one block of real estate in downtown Berlin. “Don’t forget Jesus, he hasn’t forgotten you!”

I just need time. I have become a trader. I really want a postive market, but for the present all my trades are very short. Short or long just try to stay with the trend for the day.

For the past three years I have been pulling my money out of my damn IRA, as fast as I
can afford to pay the outragous taxes slapped on me by the IRS and the state of
Indiana. My reasons for doing this are twofold; the first is that when one of my stocks
in said IRA takes a major hit, [ like in March of 2000 my Procter and Gamble stock lost
more than 50% of it's value] I could not deduct any of my loss. The second reason I
want out of the IRA is for the simple fact that when some of my other stocks make a
significant capital gain and throw off great dividends, I’m forced to pay the IRS and the
state of Indiana at my regular 28% tax rate. If these same stocks were in my taxable
account, I would pay the IRS and the state of Indiana at the 15% tax rate. Which would
be a savings for me, although I hate to pay taxes at any rate. I took so much money
out of my IRA in 2008 that my new tax rate will be in the thirty somethings. I had to
have a lot of cash in 2008 to pay the cost overruns on the house that I had built for
my daughter and her family after they were forclosed out of their home and the only
place I could come up with lots of cash was out of my IRA. So, for 2008 the IRS is going to beat me silly and as wrong as the situation is, the IRS is the true winner when
it comes to profits from MY IRA.
Regards,from poor old taxpayer, Dan O’Connor

account, I would pay taxes at the 15% rate.

The problem is receiving what appears to be true and tested information from different advisers even in your group you frequently contradict each other and then say you just have different views. Well, we the paying members then don’t know who to believe and then just do nothing or invest with fear.

We want certainty on your part or else we are just simply gambling on your advise.

Dear Dr. Weiss,

I admit that I just read all the current articles in your site these months. I knew nothing about your programmes of investing. (Sorry that I haven’t spend time reading your “Services”-section.) Just read that you have a threshold of 250,000, which definitely exclude me from joining your club at this trying time. please let me know if that is a must to start?

Best regards,

Joseph Hsiao,
Taipei, Taiwan

Nothing would give me the confidence to invest “right now”. I would have to wait and see just how successful President Obama’s and Australia’s Prime Minister Rudd’s (who are roughly doing the same thing) “give away” plans helped the countries.
I like Obama’s ideas more than I do Rudd’s mainly because apart from giving money away, Obama is looking at tax cuts and infrastructure. Rudd refuses tax cuts and is very coy about spending on infrastructure.

Martin…wish you would open an office in Australia.

my problem is selling a losing position. I keep averaging down and losing more money. See AIG that keeps going lower.

My biggest problem is, as a fiduciary, I don’t have time. I have to be available 7/24 caring for my clients and their assets. What I really need is to be able to have confidence in my broker to give honest advise to allow not only to maintain the current value of my client’s assets but to allow for growth. I have learned much be reading your articles, but not enough to feel confident to being investing. Brokers charge either a commission to buy or sell, or they take a percentage of the total investment, so I would think they would strive to increase the portfolios to increase their percentage. But I haven’t seen that to be the case. Brokers seem to have set mutual funds or securities or bonds that they push which I’m sure earns them additional commissions.

CURRENCY..in and out daily bases.

Could someone please explain to me fully what an IRA is? Is it some type of superannuation plan to go towards your retirement?

Thank you
Harry G

I am a small investor, retired writing from England. I found your video presentation and subsequent emails very enlightening. My thanks to you and the team.

My primary concern is to avoid my real wealth shrinking and so I am of course still focussed on increasing wealth. I am too heavily into UK inflation linked gilts but since the £/$ showed decline I have a proportion of US treasuries held in ETFs. I am into gold to about 8%.
Feeling sure that our government and probably yours will undermine the value of their paper I am wondering how to proceed.

Tony

I have not found found a better group to help me out of this mess than the group you manage. for that I thank-you,

I was fortunate to discover M&M last July. Based on your comments, shifted my funds to safety (FDIC short-term CDs rated BBB+ or above) and now with the low CD yields, just parking them in a treasury only (short-term treasuries) money market fund as CDs mature. Trying to figure out what to do and in the meantime, eating capital. I have no doubt that there are opportunities, especially in these volatile markets. But I have never made any money from my shareholdings (losses…only losses for the past 10 years) and I really cannot afford to lose more, both financially and psychologically. Hopefully, your e-mails, which I read every day, will help me to move on.

Hi Martin,

I have to say I’m very happy with the advice I’ve got. I picked up a bit of gold at 908 following Larry’s article and am happy to hold that, I believe you when you say it’s going well over $1000 soon. I’ve put a lot of faith in you and your people and have signed up and am waiting for the Currency “Money Machine” program. I’m really hoping to generate a significant income line following your currency experts and using your team’s expertise. I know there’s a slight delay in getting the DVD’s right so I’m looking forward to recieving them. I haven’t heard you promoting it as much in the last week or so. Are you still convinced that it is the best solution to help us all through this crisis in 2009 or is there something else we should be looking at.

Kind regards, many thanks and God Bless
John, Ireland

How can I buy stocks in junior gold companies without the possibility of those stocks being counterfieted (naked shorts)? Thank you

love me or hate me but.1 You have it all now. Etfs/forex/stocks. all you need is conformation osignal to confirm a bottoming/topping of a market in each. technical plus fundamental studies to help confirm.sorry sound s to simple. keep up the great work.love the articles tony.

Martin,
No one has been able to consistently predict the direction,AND magnitude AND timing of market moves. Therefore, in this volatile market, either become well educated in trading techniques designed to make profits in an up and down market, or stay out. And , like insurance companies, spread of risk should be an objective.

I would like to join all the others thanking you and your team for your dayly commentaries
and advice - based upon profound research - in these hard times. To the “question of the day”: Sorry, I have no idea. When I think: To-day the exchanges must rise - they soar and when I think, to-day they must soar - they rise. Reasonable thinking seems to be worthless.
I am waiting for the day when president Obama will say: “Yes, we can take advise from
Weiss.” Big thanks and best wishes from (god or bad?) old Germany.
P.S. Besides, could you some time explain what CDs are? Can’t find out.

I need help and wondered do you manage money for folks….I am a widow since the age of 51…now am 56…have never lived with the stock market until that time…things were Ok for the first 4 years….I invested with Edward Jones…did not like their approach so in the fall ..Maybe made a mistake went to Raymond James….not honestly I am ready to bail out…..I had over 800,000.00 and am now down to 520,000.00 cash and all and I do not have a job or a way of supporting myself…I need to find some answers and someone I can trust to manage my money…everyone says to stay there and ride it out …and I can’t when every month of the last 12-14 months I have lost between 18,000.00—–over 100,000.00…..how would I begin to find a plan that your company would set up for me….I am totally lost. Sandy

AS we know bank stocks are in the tank. My regional bank Citizen’s Bank Corp. is at $1 a share down from $14 a year ago. They have a “D” rating but a reasonably strong balance sheet. Hold the course? Buy more?

oil, gold and currency options

I’m retired for 5 years now and after last November I realize an old reality that somehow feels new is upon us. There is no substitution for gaining personal knowledge in investing. No one takes better care pf your money than you. I’m digesting a little each day and hopefully by the time the market bottoms I’ll be comfortable with getting back in the long term market.

Martin:

Over the past few days, small references to the nationalization of bank in the U.S. It is beginning to appear a little bit more in the news media here and in Europe (which is in worse shape than we are). I think that might be a possibility because:

#1 The banks (especially the biggest ones) are in trouble
#2 Congress’ efforts to help them is so small compared to their troubles that the help is really negligable.
#3 The bankers don’t really seem to give a darn about the help and are still spending to beat the band on bonuses, trips, etc–which is making public opinion mad.
#4 Lending levels cannot “pick-up” because most of the people who need the money are people who have poor credit and/or don’t have adequate down payments (20%).

What I really want to know is what your opinion is about nationalization of the banks and also I would request that you “walk us through” what actions would be taken and what life would be like if the banks were nationalized. Also, would our investments in short term treasuries, gold, etc. be safe?

Thanks!!! Keep up the good work!!

Tom

I just received an email from Larry Edelson this morning that directly contradicts Martin Weiss’s forecasts on the stock market & Jack Crooks’ view on the US dollar. Edelson believes there will be on of the greatest stock market rallies of all time. Weiss believes that the Dow is headed for 5500. Edelson thinks the USD will lose reserve currency status. Crooks sees a continued surge in the dollar.

As a team, how do you reconcile these views?

Hi:
I`m a regular on your research output and agree with you 95% of the time. You provide a much needed service in todays economic climate - many thanks. You might want to let you readers know that Austrian Economics teaches that the result of a burst credit bubble such as this results in the destruction of the currency.

your macro research has been excellent. how do you determine best vehicles to use to capitalize on the conclusions? all the inverse equity etf’s recommended in safe money report (dog, psq, sef and eum) are provided by proshares. have you and/or your colleagues met with proshares in person? how do they get the exposure to the underlying equities? is it through the actual underlying or via swaps with bank counterparties?

I am a 71 year old artist living in Florida. I have been trying to educate myself a little more on money matters during the last few months. My mutual fund since 1993, AMECX, has lost over $200,000 during this down period. My broker advised me to hold on and wait. I am now becoming afraid I may lose my original principal of 350,000 and do not know what to do. I have to live on the earnings except for social security. Is this a good fund to be in or should I sell all and put it in CDs for awhile? I do have $10,000. in a CD for emergencies, like food. My house is more than half paid for so am not worried about losing that. Thanks for any advise. Joan

GOVERNMENT IS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM!

With the ultimate destruction of our currency due to the inability to fund these massive amounts of liquidity injection, I am buying gold/silver and energy stocks.

In the current economic climate, I wouldn’t risk any kind of investment at all.

I do not trust anyone. The main groupe of people I dont trust is politicans mainly washington and wall street people who will lie when the truth would serve them better.
News letter writers are not far behind THEY LOVE TO WRITE AND NEVER SAY ANYTHING. THAT IS VERY SELDOM. mARTIN-WEISS AND RICHARD MAYBURY OF HENRY MADISON RESEARCH IS THE TWO LETTERS I TRUST THE MOST.

I would like to see some references for those of us in retierement. Even though I subscribe to Dividend Superstars, it seems some of the recommendations are not really appropriate. Those of us in my situation no longer have the time factor required to overcome loses in value. It would be nice if there were some indication of appropriatness for investment of retirement savings.
I keep hearing in the media about how there was no way to see our national financial problems coming. Has anyone pointed out that Martin called this mess a long time ago.

I agree with Ray Baker’s comment, “I just don’t know what to believe. Seems everyone who has news just wants you to purchase another program.” I enjpy reading your newsletter which is easily read, not too verbose and very informative…keep up the good work.Thank you!

I have the most confidence in investment strategies with a proven track record of success, eg. Jack Crooks. Past performance can be a good indicator of future results. This is also why I subscribe to Money and Markiets. Show me a wall street advisor with a good record of prediction and I will gladly listen. Aloha to you Martin and your great crew.

Dear Martin,

As I said in my last post, there is a clear and present danger of total system collapse on a global level. The guys in charge, globally, do not appear to be handling the situation competently, and their actions do not restore trust or confidence. Rather, their actions appear to be very adverse to the long term interests of the dollar or paper money in general, the consumers and taxpayers everywhere, and even to the viability of each and every financial system, with the possible exception of China, but today no country is an island. It appears the folks in charge are throwing all kinds of spaghetti at the wall to see what will stick. All they are doing is spending an unbelievable amount of money without any kind of plan to generate offsetting revenue. If collapse happens, and it could, then forget FDIC and SPIC and FINRA and their global counterparts, because nobody’s money would be protected or safehoused anywhere, including short term T-Bills. Consequently, I lack the trust and confidence to invest money anywhere for fear it will never be seen again, or be immediately returned to me in full upon demand. So, no investment opportunity is appealing because there is way too much frank instability right now, which could easily grow into collapse and social choas. You do not speak to this possibility in your literature, and I wish you would. Where do you invest your money? What banks do you trust? What bokerage firm do you trust? What trading platform do you use for your foreign currency trades? And why do you give them your trust knowing that real potential exists that the sky could actually end up falling down upon what increasingly looks to me like a grossly unstable house of cards in most every if not every financial system all across the planet?

John Audette

Nothing made of paper. Trade currencies, short-term.
Accumukate physical gold and silver.

Am currently selling on hand inventory and will only reorder as supply gets to a low level.

Investment wise and just going to ride out what I have and may increase my 401K contributions to take advantage of lower prices.

Hey anybody out there like to join a BOSTON TEA PARTY????

Retesting the bottom.

In recent months we have seen 70%+ wiped off some gold and precious metal miners. this sell off is responsible for 15% of my 48% losses at the recent bottom in november. It took only a few days for investors to push prices back up 30% to 150% on all but the most speculative mining stocks. It is obvious that at the bottom there could be many such spikes and sell offs. The best long term strategy is to only purchase 30-50% of any position at any time, preferably at times when the market is selling off. This strategy would work if first you looked at what you have to invest, and how many companies you can target with the money you allocate, and second to what time span you think it will take to get through this recession, then roughly divide the first into the second. Its not going to be perfect but at least you are in the market to capture some of those spikes. The final strategy is for each investment to be able to sell at an average 25% stop loss, should things go bad. Also to sell half your investment if and when it doubles! Thus returning more cash to reinvest in the next sell off. Another thing worth remembering, diversify your investments, do not put all your eggs in one basket!using this strategy i have made back some 5% recently, mostly from gold miners I currently have 37% of my investments in bonds , 16% in high income blue chip companies, [with a bias towards oil ]. 25% in gold coins, bullion and precious metal miners, both big and small, and a small 5% investment in smaller companies mostly speculative companies,[that also have been beaten down by at least 60%]. I still have 17% left in cash to invest over any remaining sell offs.My aim over time is to invest for income, more and more into blue chip companies, and bond funds, because soon i will have to retire, and i need to make back those losses, or find alternative sources of income! One thought at the back of my mind is property, at some point soon it too will be cheap enough to invest in again.

As much as I like reading your reports and articles, I can’t profit much from them since I’m still a bit in debt and mired in a job I don’t like. Actually it’s a nice job but I rather work for myself. Though you may write about opportunities to earn, for example, 36% on my money, what’s 36% of $1,000? Thirty-six percent is very nice for those who have over $50,000 to invest, but I don’t have that kind of money.

So for me, I want something that will help me to go full time into trading for a living, pay off my debts and eventually trade for investment. I’ve learned a lot of lessons on my first attempt which ended in bankruptcy. I subscribed to too many newsletters, books, and trading software. I followed too many markets and had too much information to effectively trade on. Much of the information was contradictory. And commodity/trading forums and discussion boards were useless.

So again, I’m looking for opportunities to get back to working for myself in order to eventually take advantage of your wonderful investing recommendations.

Thank you so much for all your honesty and I mean the only one in the game honest , I get many article’s to read everyday but you and your team is right on the money !!! I’ve worked and contracted with banks before but no one has this economy right my account is down from last October but because of your e-mails I feel great the stocks I do own are starting to grow and I know they will make good this year I invested in some metals , discount store, china company , just from reading and doing research last year I just sit and be patience when others e-mail and say sell and now buy , well my friend I have the rest in money market of the account cash . Thank for all your time -Curtis

First of all, it cannot be hard to make better decisions than the ones brokers and Wall Street pros are recommending. Your comprehensive advice, covering all aspects of the state of the economy, has helped me shield my portfolio from risk and it has actually gained 10%. Please continue to keep us abreast of the information the politicians and the business leaders that support their lifestyles are not telling us!

Dear Dr. Weiss, et al

First, thank you to Dr. Weiss and everyone for all your great help.

I’m comfortable with cash for now - so many can’t stand being in cash but for now; and, I don’t know how long that will be, I’ll stick with cash.

This global fnancial/economic implosion leaves me breathless and I never do anything until I both think and feel it is the right move.

Thank you and God Bless Us All,

MaryAnn

Hi

Your new blog is excellent feedback loop to all concern. I believe there are a lot of people out there who would go into investments/ trades knowing it was being followed closely due to this environment. Have you thought of setting up some or all of your investment programs with a managed broker accont status? Thus, your people issue trade/ investment signals to a core group of brokers who then trade this into the markets for each individual signed up and active under your programs? Thus, each individual can look at their accounts on a daily/ weekly/ monthly basis without having to sit near a computer screen/ phone on a minute by minute or day by day basis. I do believe there is a sizable investor/ trader market for you under these guide lines. Just my thouoghts, but maybe I am all wrong about this! Cheers! Doug

I’m probably Not the typical subscriber you have. At age 88 my goals are to live out my life as I please with the funds I have. Recently I thought DHI was at a low and bought. It’s worked out quite well. ACAS hasn’t yet, but I think it will. Other than that my 2 investments are fixed, unchangeable, and of many years duration. I have no confidence in Wall Street nor in the broker I’ve had for years. He knows less than I do about what’s going on. He’s told by higher ups what to advise. He’s a no brainer on his own. The boys with the Big Money have the Best Advisors and they pay for No or Few Investment Mistakes. I rely solely on my own judgment and accept the blame for success or failures. I’ll continue until the end. I wouldn’t advise anyone to go into business where you have to hire people. The government will take all your money for all your work; you’ll pay bills, salaries, benefits and walk away with less than your ployees.
Try and get on the dole like the unemployed woman who had 8 kids for you to pay for.
Sound currency can only come about by Repealing the 16th Amendment and 17th Amendment. There IS NO OTHER REAL SOLUTION. Printing presses Do Not Promote
a Sound Currency with You being reponsible to pay it all back. Talk about ignorance. Wow.

dono - have about 2 cents and 3 minutes a day to to this - overwhelmed all around

If you had a “currency market” that we as clients could put money in and rely on a focused professional trader to increase our wealth, I believe this will be a very large opportunity in ‘09/’10.

Having more agreement among the professionals in the daily Money and markets. More discussion among the Weiss related newsletters and services so that if we have several of your services we are not getting whipped around. More currency advise that does not require a course or lots of time to execute.

Dr. Weiss~

It seems to me that, at the bottom when everything will begin to go up again, “everything” will become the operative word. The knowledge I would want is what segments of “everything” are going to recover the fastest with the most quality. This is because I am retired now and I don’t have the time a young man does to conservatively build. I will need to be aggressive, it is true, but safely aggressive as possible.

Two questions I would try to ask you if I was in one of your seminars: “Is there validity today in knowing what your father found as the character in the rise of the economy after the great depression and if so, what was it?” “Can we apply anything learned from him, or is today a whole new ball game?”

And then: “Recently, I heard a man on one of the T.V. Wall Street news shows say the only way the economy will ever become permanently stable is when precious metal is again placed behind the USD. What are your thoughts on this concept?” (This is the theory in Edward Griffin’s book, “The Creature From Jekyll Island”)

Thank you for the opportunity to provide input. I really enjoy the honesty your newsletter employs.

Wayne…..Chicago, Illinois

In this enviorment I would suggest “Put options” on those industries that are failing. Also I would suggest “Currencies” because they always have a “Bull Market”.

I have not heard you mention US savings bonds. What are your thoughts?

I am thinking cash, cash and just cash…

The help I need right now to make better investment choices is finding a safe harbor for my portfolio. I get various newsletters everyday teasing the latest $1 oil stock , the next cement company, or the next drug, etc., that is set to soar. I get recommendations from my financial advisor as well. I have found that none of these recommendations are viable investment vehicles to move my overall investment portfolio forward to gain any income and/or growth. Due to the extreme volatility in the market, I have taken steps to move all my money to cash, and I currently do not own any securities. I plan to remain in cash until the market reaches a bottom. The problem is, just when I think the bottom has been reached, the market takes yet another dive. I just don’t trust Wall Street anymore.

Charles Schwab recently offered me their “Private Client” service free for one year (no commission charges). I feel like I should be taking advantage of this service, but I feel frozen in my tracks, and am not moving forward. I don’t feel like the latest Stimulus Package is going to solve the Financial Crisis either. Right now, it is just causing more market volatility.

Hi,

I don’t think you could do much better than following the recommendations of Mike Larsen and his Crisis Opportunity ETF Trader. I’d like to see a blog open to those who subscribe to his service to see how various other investors are using his recommendations.

Always invested because cash, real things, and equities are my assets.

Cash - I feel most comfortable with cash in the RMB. Goldman Sachs influence in China has guided them to quietly acquire the USA IOUs. Also, China’s keen interest in Gold and Silver might help establish the currency if the Euro drops out. Your posts supporting the Yuan have been comforting.

Real things include mainly gold and silver. Again your advise on how to allocate has been sound. Unfortunately I am not able understand the mines enough to feel comfortable with gold/silver equities. The question becomes reserves and scared of a windfall profit taxes on the miners. Once gold takes its historical place the general audience will probably feel excess taxes are appropriate.

Last are equities, which must pay a great dividend and be based on something I understand. Today, that means oil and gas master limited partnerships that are heavily hedged. The collapse of Lehman Brothers offered wonderful opportunities to pick up companies that pay outstanding double digits distributions with producing assets over book. It is easy to establish the validity of the producing assets with a little homework, but the risk I see would the be counterparty risk in the hedges. Remember drill baby drill.

For future allocations - General commodity futures contracts would likely be increased and the MLP’s decreased.

Good morning Martin,
I lost my friend,lover my wife of 43 years.My income was cut serverely and after debts etc.were paid,I was left with $2000.00 dollars.A friend gave me LARRY’S “real wealth report” TO read. I was so impressed with the publication that I subscribed to it.Since then I’ve become a supporter of the Weiss group.I’ve met a wonderful woman and have been able to spend $15,000.00 on home improvementsand and I still retain a small portfolio plus a small cash fund.Thanks to the Weiss team and their wonderful advice.My portfolio cosists of put options,foreign stocks and some cash.

Dear Martin,

Keep up the good work……
Please tell us more of your father’s work at the ‘Sound Money Committee’…..
We need rational and level-headed advice to get through this chaotic time.
Best wishes,
Neil Gold

I have an interesting question. If the G20 have cooked up a smoke and mirrors solution to the money crisis of creating a world wide new currency,. how would that effect the Forex Market? Would the largest market in the world just vanish? And if such solutions work in the minds of politicians, why not just re-evaluate all currencies to a pre-inflation time of “prosperity” ?

Does anyone see where I see all of this going? It all reminds me of what happens when you get stuck by a porcupine quill: the more you muck around with it the deeper it goes. When I stand back from, it all begins to look curiously circular in nature. And speaking of nature,. all of this political “fixing”, seems to be in an effort to avoid the pain of the business cycle. It’s somewhat like trying to avoid the winter and by doing so, never experiencing “spring”. To everything there is a season trun, turn, turn.

Are politicians trying to meddle with the “nature” of this world by trying to indulge in the flaws of human nature out of their own fear of not getting re-elected and there by squandering the amazing powers of being human?

How does all of this effect the new Wiess “Personal Money Machine” ?

Martin, I need ways to generate safe income. Short term treasuries are safe, but yield next to nothing. This will probably begin to change(a bit more yield), but not enough to live on. Best wishes, George.

Dear Martin,
I wish to thank you and your team for the excellent service you provide.
You always “go the extra mile” and it is appreciated.

Please add me to the lists of people reflected in the “second and fourth major concerns”

Our government seems to be totally commited to a course of action aimed at destroying America.

Thank you, Ernie

I have been following your comments on the state of the economy and nourel roubini, you said there is 40% more downside and Roubini says 20%. I have been doing some stock trading, but jump out for quick profits and out of fear a bigger crash is due! It seems recently the markets are weakening with little support. what time horizon do you see for stocks to fall further. Are we looking at a slow 2-3 years of trending down or do you see some event driving the markets down in a short period of time? Do you see opportunity for short term bear markets? Or, is it better to just sit in cash or treasurys as you have stated. the stock market feels somtimes like I am playing russian roulette. also, i have an opportunity to buy a house outright for cash at this time in Phoenix. Some of these houses are at decade lows. do you see houses even cheaper than this? Do you know about the banks not listing all the REO properties they have foreclosed on and could this drive prices lower? With the banks basically insolvent, and the gov’t ready to spend until we break the treasury’s ability to borrow, would it not be wise to spend some of my cash and own a house outright? Do you think foreigners will keep lending the cash we need by buying all these bonds? or will this be the final shoe to drop?

thanks john

Martin:

I have heard your webcast. i am really concerned as my 401 has lost 37%. taking your advise now I am on a side line and will wait to get back in after seeing when the market hits the bottom. Thank you for sharing a daring but gloomier picture. At least it does make me think before buying any equity for now. I am still not toally convinced on currency trading but will build my learning base to get there.

The short sellers are driving every stock I want to believe in into the sewer.I need some strategy to outsmart those guys.

I am buying stocks that give us a good dividend. I may not gain much but it is the only way I found to feel secured.

A low risk immediate money maker, timing and strategies designed by you that even an ignoramis like me could understand and follow.

I think that it is best to trade the solidly funded ETF’s on a day to day basis. Shorts and longs, alternately. Just need to learn more about chart reading and have more time to sit on my you-know-what to follow these charts/indicators.

Thank you Marty! Because of your advise to buy buy short term bonds in 2008, I shifted my entire 401K out of the stock market and into a bond fund. As a result, the value of my 401K has actually increased $14,000. While so many of my co-workers have been losing money, I have actually gained. Thanks for your great advice! I send all my friends and relatives the link to your newsletter. It is by far the best and most reliable source of investment information I have seen.

Your advise helped me make this money, now I would like to know how to keep it secure with in my 401K. Timing is everything, so please keep us informed on what is comming and how to best protect our assets. Also, what are some short term investments I could make to supplement my income now.

I would like more advice about gold and silver stocks this time around since that is what is going sky high in times of inflataion. That is what is going up and up…

Would like to invest in something that allows me hands off for six months. Steady growth.

I wish for once, I could hear the truth from the Fed, CNBC, and all the other analysts, that their only intent is to avoid a self-fulfilling prophecy precipitating a deep market drop. They contiually give us half the truth and brush paint the US economy as a much better picture than it really is. It took the Fed a year before it finnally admitted the US was in recession. How long will it take them to admit that this Country is on the cusp of another Great Depression. Only then will I really feel comfortable in investing. I need the truth!

In the past I have found the best method of growing my wealth was to let the dividend income roll-over year after year and not to make any withdrawals, but now of course that plan of action does not work. Quite frankly I’m at a loss as to what to do.

My opinion is that as always pls. donot complicate yourself keep it simple. Stay with the commodities e.g palladium,goldetc. but please as always do some basic research yourself and don’t follow the same mistakes as all other’s make your own. You see it’s your moneay after all. Then you cannot blame others, only yourself.

Hi Martin - huge thanks for all your insights over the years - I have come to trust your recomendations and act on them. At the moment though I am confused because I have a large porton of my portfolio in Ginnie Mae bonds averaging 5% interest income. It seems that a lot of your associates do not realize that Ginnie Maes are guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the US govt - I spoke with one of the advisors at Weiss Capital Management the other day and he confessed not to know much about them, and in fact lumped them together with Fannie and Freddie; he did not realize they are guaranteed by the US gov’t, and that is why their value has been going up recently, especially last month when long term treasury bonds fell. As a retired investor relying on my portfolio for all my income, I am content to receive the 5% income and 7-9 year window for a gov’t guaranteed return of principal which can be reinvested at higher rates in an inflationary environment .My question to you is what risks do you see other than fluctuating principal that makes you recommend selling these bonds?
I know that many people are invested in these bonds so I hope this question is important enough for you to respond to in more detail. Thank you so much.

I wished somone like your people would come up with a real stock education course like the ones on tv infomercials were we could have somone teach those of us who are not experts trade this rollercoaster of a market. I really never see any straght forward trading education and would love to know who offers the best source. I think its a good line of business for your group.

How to use options and covered calls on commodity companies.

i agree with one of your suscribers who said you seem to be the only one who
knows whats going on. as for me let me add my thanks. iconsider you guys
a dollar well spentgls

How do I choose a good broker or brokerage house to do trades? Which ones are solvent? I currently have a small smith-barney account with a roth-ira there. Their trade fees are $25 AND they’re owned by CitiGroup. I’ve pulled my cash out of Citibank. How easy is it to move the roth/ira? where should I move it to?

stay in stong sectors(if long)my favorites are macd 13 day 40 day volume schoastis(not a good speller)but i also check market indices everyday for the same listed above.but a favorite for telling when real trouble is coming over the longer term is the vix,it telegraphed this last downturn with plenty of time to spare.The markets seem to be a question mark right now though withe low ativity in the vix and the reaction to obamba’s stimulus package.financials went up but on very low volume,gold and silver soared on high volume making up most of the meager gains the wall street elite were bragging about.I cant say for sure but at least for now the overall market is stagnent with a few exceptions.day trading looks to be best strategy right now and hold a little gold.today a bizzare thing happened my qqqq went up and my psq also went up and they are supposed to be inverse of eachother,i’m lost but mat markets look very weak right now.Martin I always value your opionion,any answers?Thanks nfor your outstanding insights over the last year,Im in alot better shape then alot of people i know.

There are also some good free sites where you can learn,paper trade and interact with other posters at several free sites.clearstation.com is fairly good ,stockcharts.com,i believe they have something called the market carpet look at the sector one.Another strategy is to buy a few good blue chips and write covered calls,they juice your dividends hold gld slv and some inverse funds and lots of cash,Martins strategy has worked very good for me ,but I never try to pick the exact bottom(it would be nice) but when the market does turn,i would be happy just to get a good bite out of the middle.

btw my parents were at smithbarney ,i ran for the exit!!!!i use scottrade an td ameritrade and a futures firm.I was going to dump my 401k too my employer cant match anymore and they try to force you into that buy and hold so you can gift them half your money.

Martin,
perhaps some of your readers are not familiar w/DRIP stocks. many of the “biggies” are at all-time lows and steady investments in them will, i’m convinced, yield tremendous profits down the road. stocks can be purchased w/o broker commissions directly from the companies, many for as little as a $50 initial investment. we’ve been going that way for a few years now and are happy with (most of) the results.

If I had the money right now there are a few things I would invest in such as life insurance, annuities, mutual funds, some stocks, gold and silver, and possibly euro currency. Obviously the choices that brokers are recommending aren’t the wise ones. It’s just lack of knowledge about the market altogether which I am trying to acquire from different sources. I am after all new in learning about the market. I don’t like jumping into something without having the knowledge and understanding of how something works, no matter what it is.

Due to my advance age, I am mainly concerned with protecting my money and getting
some income. Have liquidated most of my stocks and bonds, I am receiving income from Canadian trusts.

Martin and his team have convinced me to invest in gold and silver and plant a garden.

As a novice investor; what simplified indicators advise and guide me the opportunity markets? Secondly; how do I determine when to buy and when to sell? Patrick,

Hi,

PREFACING QUALIFICATION.

Fear is usually associated with a perception of loss of control, due to a perception of a lack of ability (competence) to deal with the issue. If the emotion of fear is not dealt with, it will paralyze and distort an individual’s responses.

The individual has to:

FIRSTLY
Be given perspective, to break the mental set and expand their horizon of thinking.

The test of competence is not “whether one makes a mistake”, because everybody sooner or later slips up.

The test of competence is “whether one can fix up one’s mistakes and regain lost ground after one slips up”.

SECONDLY
Learn to focus so as to maximise the use of whatever resources they currently have (financial, physical, mental) more effectively.

Think about how a laser beam operates.
“The tiny beam of light is able to cut through solids because it concentrates the available energy onto a tiny area, but to be effective; it has to be focused on the right spot”.

Q1. What kind of investment-selection and timing strategies would give you more confidence to invest right now?
C
Do my own research on recommendations by experts, then invest small amounts on the best options and see how they pan out (time span depends on market forces) before committing larger amounts.

What knowledge or skills do you think might help you make better choices than the ones brokers and Wall Street pros are recommending?
A good understanding of how the market and infrastructure set-up operates (attending seminars and training sessions, reading company reports and financial reviews, watching talk back shows and link up videos).

Investing small amounts (50 shares initially) in as many different sectors as possible, to gain experience on how they operate (dividend re-investment, management fees and modus operandi, kickbacks, bonus entitlement, franking credits: negative gearing etc)

What steps could you take to lower your risk without lowering your profit potential when you buy an investment?

Check out the source of the recommendation very carefully (track record of the company, qualifications of individuals, contractual and legislative implications)

Is there anything you’re not doing that you feel you should be doing?
Please feel free to make suggestions.

I already did! I THANK DR. WEISS AND HIS TEAM FOR ADDING TO MY EDUCATION IN FINANCE.fOR THE MONTHS i HAVE BEEN WITH YOU,I HAVE LEARNED A LOT AND HAVE SEEN YOUR PREDICTIONS COME TRUE.YOUR EXCELLENT WORK MUST BE APPLAUDED,AND I THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH US. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK,MANY BLESSINGS TO ALL
ALVARENE

I have been very “lucky” for a relative new investor as it pertains to the markets. I have been involved less than two years. I too share a distrust of the markets and the intititutions that facilate the process. One of my “areas of Need” is the use of the Fibonacci ratios along with the other indicators. This is coupled with a lack of knowledge on where and how to find and use indexes to discover ratios beteen various indices and thier representative asset class. e.g. Phil. Gold and silver index divied by the spot price of gold.

HOW ABOUT THE FOLLOWING: ” I INVEST IN YOUR COMPANY, YOU MAKE $1,
I PAY $10 FOR YOUR STOCK, YOU PAY ME 50 CENTS AND USE 50 CENTS FOR EXPANSION, WHEN YOU MAKE $1.20 MY STOCK BECOMES WORTH $12 AND I GET 60 CENTS DIVIDEND…….. INVESTMENTS 101

My favorite is the ever constant Good luck and God bless at the end of each of Martin’s blogs.

Can you please comment on the following:

Don’t you think it is about time GLD and all the other popular international gold ETFs told its owners exactly what kind of gold they claim to own?

Can you imagine a situation where a person buys a gold ETF to own “non-gold” but finds out that they in reality own OTC derivatives on gold? That would be an investment in the same type of financial instrument (not gold) that one owns gold bullion to protect against.

The failure to unearth the Madoff scandal becomes incredible when one understands that the returns from the market claimed on the size of the hedge fund were logically impossible.

The exact same reasoning screams bloody murder when applied to the many Gold EFTs in terms of what it is they really own.

This begs one major question: From where did all the gold claimed to be owned by all the gold ETFs come?

Where did funds such as GLD get their additional 45 tons in the last month?

You certainly can forget about that gold coming from the Comex. 12 deliveries would stand out like a sore thumb.

This concept and record keeping eliminates all exchanges around the globe as the source of bullion delivery in any size to all Gold ETFs.

The physical market is so tight that coin minting has all but closed down compared to what it was one year ago. It is hard to accept that the Gold EFTs can buy what the mints can’t.

A read of the original prospectus removes any thought that the gold is leased, but leaves one to invite probability.

That probability is that the claimed gold can only be OTC derivative long positions. If that is so then the financial reliability of the paper stands on the foundation of the balance sheet of the granting counter party to the OTC derivative. This is true regardless of whether it is a mine or naked speculator.

Don’t you think it is about time the gold ETFs told their owners exactly what kind of gold it is that they claim to own?

Can you imagine a situation where a person buys a gold ETF to own “non-gold” but finds out that they in reality own OTC derivatives on gold? That would be an investment in the same type of financial instrument (not gold) that one owns gold bullion to protect against.

You may own an ETF of derivatives, not of gold!

If correct, then there is no clearinghouse guarantee for the OTC derivative to function.

Like so many other surprises of the last two years, the Gold ETF shareholder may actually have no gold at all.

A perfect Ponzi scheme would allow you to surrender shares for bullion. You need only think about it.

ifell i am doining what gives me a nonstressfull feeling by following your wisdom and only asmall investment in income stocks.itrust your findings about thiss whole mess is so correct . i am willing to learn about your currency tade. always believed u could earn in any market but didnt know how. thanx for being around

I HAVE READ ALL THE BLOGS AND COMMENTS AND ADVICE AND ALTHOUGH THEY ARE THOUGHFUL EITHER I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO UNDERSTAND PROPERLY OR THEY DO NOT ADDRESS MY PROBLEM.WHICH IS I AM 70 YEARS OLD WITH A LOSS IN THE MARKET OF ABOUT 350 THOUSAND DOLLARS…. I STILL HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT THERE BUT I MUST START LIVING ON IT AS OF NEXT MONTH/
WHERE DO I GO TO PRESERVE PRICNCIPAL AND STILL GET ABOUT 5 PERCENT OUT SAFELY….. HELP HELP
THANKS
MIKE

I’m sorry I have not responded to you. I any recovering from a brain tumor operation and some other family problems.

At this time I do not trust any local financial advisor unless they will sign a fiduciary agreement. Everything that has been told to me in the past has been for their pockets only.
You and your team are the only one’s that told the truth. I thank you so very much. I have forward your news letters to many people and hopefully they are joing me listening to your group.

Unfortunately at this time, I can not invest any money due to operation costs and unexpected problems. I hope to be able to get back into investing ASAP.

Sincerely,

Louis A. D’Eugenio

I am wondering if the inflationary trend of the dollar is part of a secret agenda in Washington to create the “Amero”, the combined currency of Canada, The U.S. and Mexico. Otherwise, why would they be printing such massive amounts of money so seemingly irresponsibly?

I’ve been advised by another “wise” one (your friendly competitor!) in a one on one consult, that learning to do buy rites and covered calls would help me achieve more cash flow, which I need. I would like step by step instruction in that and other cash generating strategy’s (written or DVD) to teach and help me develop confidence, etc. But I need to be able to learn it at my own pace. If I pay for a big package that gives me everything at once, and support for a limited time, it’s overwhelming and I have limited time to take advantage of it. I need to be able to keep learning in smaller segments, but I definitely need (and want) more tools and education to survive-thrive in current times. So, I’m suggesting that you create a small series of MINI packages, that teach one or two things and allow people to go at their own pace. It could be designed to help build a strong foundation to move into more advanced forms of trading later. It would also be more cost friendly for many of your clients. THANKS AGAIN, Martin. –Lynn H.

Dear Martin, I’am an older person with a small nest egg. Lost 10% in the mutual funds. Would like to see my investment grow with little risk. But after what happend in the financial markets, who do you trust and what do you trust ? What happens if there’s a meltdown; I would assume anything you hold in paper would be worth nothing. Have been looking into the coins market (gold, silver or rare coins). So far I have not decided what to do .

The bond bubble that Martin is referring to is the long bond paper. I think
Tips are a good investment for my portfoilo, but without knowing your
portfolio and your financial situation it is difficult to answer that question
carte blanche. Because of the volitility there is money to be made out
there.

Yes thank you DR. A printed text would be helpful also Joe

How does one recover when one is 65 or older? We don’t have the long timeline to wait for the markets to bounce back.

I see the wisdom of using stop loss orders, but I have read numerous times not to enter them in the market, because the price will be dropped momentarily to pick you off and then raised again. I assume the alternative is to use some monitoring software and only enter the trade when your alarms go off. How can I do that when I am at work and cannot respond rapidly? How can I use stop loss orders if I can only check the market 3 times a day when the market is open?

Even in bad economic times we all need: water to drink, food to eat, prescription drugs, gas for our cars, waste management - in short - consumer staples. Yet, all of these seem to be going down in price. So how should we invest in those items that we all need is my big concern. Also, the value of Gold seems to be steadily climbing so it is a must to invest in.

what is safe, not much everyone is losing and there is no wher to go to rebuilt a retirement fund.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

I also have had a problem for quite some time extrapolating the logistics of this ETF. You are ABSOLUTELY correct in targeting the fact that if this fund invests in derivatives of gold rather than the metal itself, another Ponzi Scheme/House-of-Cards scenario is in the works. Imagine if the majority of folks sell this off to raise cash and there really isn’t the physical gold to back up its claims. If derivatives - they would flood the market with sell orders —- If truly it is the physical gold - they would flood the system with an unloading of the physical commodity. You don’t even need a degree in “DUH” to figure out what would happen!

I’ve watched this fund also act just like ANY OTHER stock in market (at times) when there was a sell-off in general market conditions rather than act like a contrary/inflation hedge investment. I just see the merits arguing as to whether this is TRULY an investment in gold.

I can only figure the totals they claim are justified by the fact that these are total purchases within a time frame NOT including their sell orders. It certainly would be an attention grabbing marketing tool to total all buys in aggregate for any fund. However, with this ETF I’m just suspecting this is not the case. Where could they possibly get all this gold if China, India, the US and others are stockpiling/hoarding it?

WHERE???!!!!

Citidude Chris in Chicago

An indicator (computer generated?) that estimates where “the market” and/or individual investments are in a longer term cycle: high/low, overbought/oversold, etc. This estimate could be used as a guide for taking, or not taking action.

It seems to me that everybody has missed WHY the global financial crisis is NOT being corrected by any of the G7/G20. The MAIN ISSUE here is LACK OF CONFIDENCE by THE MAN IN THE STREET - NOT the BIG INSTITUTIONS. To correct this, the governments should have given the money to MAN IN THE STREET, not to Fannie Mae , Freddy Mac, etc… The money should have flowed THROUGH THE MAN IN THE STREET who lost money to the fraudsters and crooks in Wall Street, so that debts were paid, in part or in full, for housing, cars, etc. They money should have flowed to Fannie Mae , Freddy Mac, etc., via THE MAN IN THE STREET, killing 2 birds with one stone, and giving succor and relief to millions on americans who are4 now in dire trouble.
The Government should also use this opportunity to replace all Government, Federal, State & Municipal vehicles that are more than 18 months old, and in THIS WAY, they will support GM, CHRYSLER & FORD.
They should kill 2 birds with one stone in everything they do, and they are missing a wonderful opportunity to do so.
WHY should the Government pay more attention to THE MAN IN THE STREET than to THE TROUBLED BANKS? The answer is: “Because THE MAN IN THE STREET is the ENGINE that keeps the economy going and BUYS ALL THE GOODS MANUFACTURED BY ALL THE FACTORIES!”

I haven’t made much money on my investments in the last year, perhaps 3%, but what I have made was due to the advice of your firm. By comparison, my closest friends have all lost millions of dollars by accepting the advice “Stay in the market, it’s only a paper loss. It will all come back” You saved me from losing it in the first place, so when it “comes back” I will be investing at my original capital level. Thanks, Martin.

The days of buy and hold are over. We need to trade in order to stay in the game. I do not care about the top 20% and the bottom 20% of the market. I care to pick up the remaining 60%,, and that can make you a lot of money. Well, we need to hedge against the market through inverse ETFs that go up when the market goes down or through options. We have to keep ourselves informed through honest publications such as Money and Markets, ” M&M”. What works for me when reading M&M is to post their suggestions in buying ETFS or Stocks, in a model portfolio and wait for the right time to enter and average into the trade. I has been a wining combination. Thank you M&M.

Martin, Here is a good one for you. I had a construction company for 35 years building custom homes. I retired in 1998 and was doing appraisal work for local banks. Two years ago I had a home that was way over priced and the appraisal was cut some $100 thousand dollars and the real estate company went crazy, and at the closing they told the bank that I was ruded. This bank was over 50% of my business, but I have not been asked to do anymore appraisals for this bank. They have made their own bed and now it is time they own up to there wrong doings. Honest appraisers are not wanted in the bussiness anymore, so I had to go to work for a company doing insurance restoration and remodeling work. I thank you for at least giving me hope.

Thanks , WFB

Dear Dr. Weiss,

I am a new subscriber to your safe money report and am considering adding on more subscriptions. I had bought Put Otions for(expiring on) January 2010 on JPM (JP Morgan stock) about six months ago. At the time the Puts were out of the money ie $17.50, $12.50, $15.00. What happens if as Professor Roubini reccommends, that JPM is nationalized overnight(this will be along with CITI and BAC of course to avoid a run on any un-nationalized banks). If JPM is nationalized overnight, will I lose out on my put options? What should I do at this point?

I have read today’s report that you sent out with links to OCC, it looks perilous for JPM and HBC(have puts on this as well). I’m surprised that shareholders have not sold off JPM as they did BAC and Citi. Thank you for your great insight and God Bless.

Shay Pathare, MD

martin would you explain how to invest when your moneys in a 401k such as vanguard.is there etfs in there?or is there something else as i have my money in tbills . i dont want any stocks right now as i do believe there a long way from the bottom.i dont have the option to move it to an ira unless i leave which i hope doesnt happen.but they just laid off 900 people.thanks god bless you and yours

I am following your recommendations on inverse ETF’s. They are showing losses, what is going on?

Minimum risk and better than current CD interest

Hello Martin,
Looking for some education/discussion about trading tactics that work well in bear markets, as I assume trading tactics for bull markets cannot just be flipped (short vs. long, etc.) for bear markets.

It would seem the US dollar is going to devalued? If so, how does that effect the individual and our businesses?

From my physics course, I have extrapolated the solution to the recession/depression:

Since the laws of economics appear the same to all observers with respect to economies deteriorating in uniform motion, it would seem that the way to fix everything, per Obama’s speech, is to spend at an incredible rate. I’m no Einstein, but I think that is best expressed by the following formula, which relates the health of the economy (the higher number the better); the money supply, and the speed of light
One merely has to increase the money supply at the speed of light, squared, to fix the economy, which can simply be expressed as

2
E = MC

How do find out the health of Old Mutual Financial Life Insurance Company with headquarters in Baltimore, MD. I believe the firm was USF&G at one time. I could find nothing on Street.

Thanks

Ben

Martin Weiss…..on that new Million Dollar portfolio…..is there anyway to pull $ out of my 401K and move to my IRA without leaving my company? I just don’t have the diversification i want…..in the company 401K….so I want to move some to a IRA so I can invest in Martin’s new portfolio!

Why do we need to invest money ? to feed inflation !
If we all had the same job, paying the same wages, with all prices the same wouldn’t that be reassuring ? Now if I want more, then I work more and I don’t “burn” my fellow humans with 20 and 30 % interest rates.
Further do we really need the stock market ? it’s just another “void” where people pool their money, so that some will get more and some will get less. All the financial tools and gadgets and products is just another smoke screen — a middle ground .

I just want to know … do the companies that do really well get rewarded in their stock value ? No way ! What ever happened to “sound investing” ? there is no point in researching a company when the good falls with the bad…It’s ridiculous !

The stock markets should be shut down all over the world and let people get their money from under the mattresses, no long term borrowing, no mortgages, no car loans …just straight up right front and center direct buy for everything !!

It seems to work in nature…. to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

My parents raised 10 children, never had a mortgage, a car loan or went on a vacation
because he did not believe in “fly now pay later”
Every Financial advisor says to stay in for the long haul and every day another company goes bankrupt and our portfolio shrinks by 50 % every down turn. then we have all these people with all the answers who claim to know it all….with their glorious 1000 % return !!! If they actually did, they wouldn’t be writing newsletters.

Lets’ face it, when they are right about something every body knows, but the things that went sour ???

DISENCHANTED and broke

Martin,
I have a variable annuity that is now 100% in a money market. I followed your advice (I’ll admit I was slow to act) but was still able to avoid huge losses. Now I want to start rebuilding the wealth I did lose and I signed on with your Million-Dollar Contrarian Portfolio. I may have put the cart before the horse though because my investment options in the annuity seem to be limited only to mutual funds. And those funds that are available to me are all losers! Some are down >50% YTD!! OK, here’s the question. How can I get more control over my money in that variable annuity and put it to work where I want it to be?
Thanks,
Lou Holder

Hello M&M team,
I’ve been a subscriber for 2 years and wanted to say how much i enjoy reading your articles. Keep up the good work. http://www.johnathanvrozos.com

How are CD’s compared to Annuities and/or “T” Bills?