Is It 1999 or 2007? Retail Investors Flood The Market

Is it 1999 or 2007? Retail investors flood the market as speculation grows rampant with a palpable exuberance and belief of no downside risk. What could go wrong?

Do you remember this commercial?

The Etrade commercial aired during Super Bowl XLI in 2007. The following year, the financial crisis set in, markets plunged, and investors lost 50%, or more, of their wealth.

However, this wasn’t the first time it happened.

The same thing happened in late 1999. This commercial was aired 2-months shy of the beginning of the “Dot.com” bust as investors once again believed “investing was as easy as 1-2-3.”

Why this trip down memory lane? (Other than the fact the commercials are hilarious to watch.) Because this is typical of the exuberance seen at the peaks of bull market cycles.

So, what are the signs we are seeing today.

  • Retail investors are chasing bankrupt companies like Hertz and Chesapeake Energy
  • Hertz, a company in bankruptcy, is issuing stock with a disclaimer the shares are likely worthless.
  • Investors chasing companies with extremely poor fundamentals.
  • Investing tips coming from individuals with no experience.
Dave Portnoy@stoolpresidente

$RTX comes out of the scrabble bag. Smush letters and buy it. Give it a try Ron, you might not bankrupt your clients. #DDTG

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