Honey, I Shrunk the … Japanese Economy

*****At first glance, it might look as though the stocks market voiced its opinion of Obama’s stimulus bill with a big thumbs down on Tuesday. But the more immediate catalyst was Japan’s Q4 quarter GDP number. 
Japan’s economy shrunk at a 12.7% annualized rate between October and December. That is really bad. And it goes to show just how weak the global economy is. Stimulus plans will help people weather the storm, but it’s pretty clear that $800 billion isn’t going to turn the global economy around. 
*****The S&P 500 closed below an important support level at 800 yesterday. That’s got some analysts talking about a re-test of the October lows at 741. I don’t have any particular insight if we’ll see those levels again or not. To me, it’s more important to keep what’s going on in the stock market and the economy in perspective. 
I launched my first advisory service in the middle of the post-Internet bubble recession. Things looked pretty bleak then, too. Investors had lost their shirts when the market collapsed. Unemployment was rising, companies were cutting costs, and then 9/11 happened. 
That was the proverbial nail in the economy’s coffin. Many people thought America would be forever changed. But I knew then that the recession would reverse and the end of the American way was being greatly exaggerated. 
I made some of my best investments during that recession. My readers at the time made 400%, 500%, even 700% gains picking up quality stocks in that bombed-out market. And it’s going to happen again. 
I don’t have any particular insight as to when the economy will start to recover and when the stock market will start rising again. But I know it will. And I’m getting prepared now. 
Thursday evening at 6 pm, I’m hosting a video conference for my SmallCapInvestor PRO advisory service. It’s titled “Future Fortune Makers” because now is the time to start looking for the stocks that can make huge gains when the stock market recovers. 
This is a totally free event. I’ll be sitting down with analyst Jason Cimpl and SmallCapInvestor.com editor Bob Bogda to discuss which sectors have the best money-making potential. We’ll be talking about alternative energy, commodities, biotech and more. 
The “Future Fortune Makers” video conference should only take about 230 minutes of your time. And if we can help you find a couple huge stock market winners, it’ll be worth it. Here’s a link where you can register for SmallCapInvestor PRO’s “Future Fortune Makers.”

To top