Stock market outlook: Protecting your Assets

As shown above, the 2 year Dow chart shows that we have made lower lows now 3 times as signified by the Blue lines. Also shown is the recent "W" pattern which is signified by the Red line. Notice that it is slanting down. This means that most likely we are in for another lower low, which should easily go below the 3rd Blue line. This pattern of lower lows and lower highs should continue through the Fall and into 2011 with the economy facing the real prospect of Deflation and no job growth.

What to do, what to do in the face of these problems? I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I am doing. I am paying attention to all the data I can and look at my own assets daily as to where they are and how best I can take advantage of the knowledge I have acquired and the analysis I have done. For example, Treasury two-year note yields fell to a record low as reports showed that consumer confidence plunged to the lowest level in a year and retail sales declined, heightening concern the economic recovery is stalling. These all are consistent with a stalled economy and increasing the risk to us.

Yields on 10-year notes traded near a 14-month low this week after minutes of the Federal Reserve’s June meeting showed policy makers noted that risks to the recovery increased. Housing starts and sales of existing homes declined last month, reports next week are forecast to show. So in face of this information it is almost impossible for the stock market to go up. It will go down. So being long and staying in stocks is foolish, unless you are considerably hedged to the down side. I have sold many of my stock positions but have several still that I know will not drop much with a market retreat and will have a minimum effect on my total portfolio. I have shares the ETF Ultra Short of the Russell 2000 Index, symbol TZA. This is a Triple play, meaning that for every 1% the Russell 2000 goes down, TZA goes up 3%. I also have TZA Option Calls for October and for March. I have traded these twice so far and the shares I currently own are all from the profit I already have made so there is no chance to even lose my original investment. If these rise significantly, as I expect they will, I can more than double my investment in them.

I also own shares of the Banking Index ETF Ultra Short, symbol FAZ. These I expect to also rise in value. I have also purchased some other Put Options on stocks I know will drop with the market drop. I also own ZSL, which is an ETF Ultra Short on Silver. So I am a very defensive mode at this time and plan to become even more defensive going forward. Much will depend on the rate of deceleration of market Indexes. This is unfolding at a slow rate currently but the pace will increase sharply one of these days in the next month. pay attention to your portfolio. Talk to your Financial Advisor regularly if you are worried. Make sure you can sleep well at night as things are going to be very scary. The Fall is coming faster than you think and you remember what the markets do in September and October. TAKING ACTION THEN WILL BE TOO LATE.