Dow just hit a 8 month high.

[amins]

"The stock market is where people buy things with the hope that in the future they will increase in value".

Dustie summed this up quite nicely. It's not hope if you know the market, but rather education. Educated people aren't saying: "man, i hope this stock goess up". They're saying, "man, I can't wait for this rollover comming up".

Sure, part of the market is speculative, however there are fundamental the whole thing is based on.... like buffalo being lead to a cliff, the hedgers are setting up for a feast.

I would say the stock market by itself could be a leading indicator once you put all the pieces together because it's made up of corporate finance (economic principals: fundamental) & market values (speculative). But if you look at the stock market and the parts its made up of, it's lagging by principal because it's a reflection of data, by which we then speculate upon the direction.

I guess the question then is, how much truth is in the numbers we're seeing and the honesty of the people issuing those numbers?

On another point, you don't always invest in a stock purely because of the company of that stock.... sometimes, its the competence and track record of the people running that company that's more important: Human Behavior & the psycology of Fear & Greed.

Oui, feels like I'm rambling today. mebbe i'll just go back to my coffee and blunt.