You have investment portfolios?

Anyone who blames one single factor on the market being either way is obviously an idiot.

Have fun betting on penny stocks.

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RIP ROAD WOES 12/2/2012

I have a personal investment portfolio, yes. I also have a 401k that I have been actively participating in since the early 80's, and a Roth IRA that I have had since I was 16 that was started in 1979. I won't bore you with the details of my 401k or IRA, but my personal portfolio is mostly speculative stocks. I don't do penny stocks by rule, but I do love pink sheets/OTC stocks. I am a pretty active trader, though I don't come anywhere close to day trading. I trade roughly 100 times a year (buy/sell) depending on how the market is going. I am in the process of closing most of my portfolio out, and will most likely be 100% cash by April.

If you have done your research, you would understand what has driven the markets recently. Fiscal policy is a much bigger arena than all of the bullshit politics that people are throwing around in this thread. QE3 has been steadily pumping money into the market. Obviously things like the jobs report, housing, futures, and foreign markets, all have a role in what is going on, but when the Fed is laying out $40 billion a month, what do you think the reaction is going to be? The markets go DOWN?

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Many of the market fundamentals are hinting that we're now at the crest of the market upswing and ready to swoop down the other side.

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Yep, a large part of the reason I am closing most of my positions down in my personal portfolio, except for a few of the larger dividend paying stocks. There is a chance I will take up a few shorts, but not 100% positive at this point. I have been a follower of the "spring selloff" strategy over the last couple of years, and it has been very successful so far. Granted, it is always difficult to time the market, so I have missed some upside doing this, but I have avoided tanking my gains on more than a few stocks. Waiting for the correction is always nerve racking, especially when you can see it from so far off.

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It always amazes me, when "smart people" try to time the market ... lol
Warren Buffett challenged Hedge funds managers a few years ago , that they can't beat the market in 10 years. Buffett is currently leading.
I remember when some part of the media predicted Armageddon, when the stock market lost a few 100 points upon Obama arrival to the White House ... those "critics" don't mention the stock market anymore ... except to say "It will crash soon".
How Democratic Presidents have outperformed Republican Presidents in the stock market, it is not even funny. One wonders ... who the real capitalists are !!!

There are also a few fundamentals that are hinting that that's a bunch of bullshit.

What "market fundamentals" are you speaking of?

Yes, I've read that some economists think that the Dow is getting ready for a correction, I've also read that plenty of economists think the Dow is surprisingly right where it's supposed to be.

Spending is up, hiring is up, the real estate market is not only stabilized but growing, things like Gold have leveled off (which means confidence is back into the dollar) and in general consumer confidence is rising.

Be careful with your portfolio as always, but I think it's safe to stick with the market.

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RIP ROAD WOES 12/2/2012