Retail sales for Thanksgiving weekend up 22% from a year ago.

Gas prices have fallen 25% in the last 5 weeks (reach 5 month low)

Stock market up 7% in last 5 weeks (reaches 4 1/2 year high)



Now let the doom-and-gloomers have their say...

NOYB wrote:
Retail sales for Thanksgiving weekend up 22% from a year ago.


Yep, sales at discount places are UP UP UP... translation,
people have less discretionary income and are buying the
cheapest stuff... but at least they're buying more of it!

Gas prices have fallen 25% in the last 5 weeks (reach 5 month low)


Does anybody with 3 functioning brain cells think this is a
long term trend?

Stock market up 7% in last 5 weeks (reaches 4 1/2 year high)


Hey great!
But why is it only a a 4 1/2 year high? How come the stock
market still hasn't hit as big as when Clinton was President?


Now let the doom-and-gloomers have their say...


Gee, I hope you don't see my little interjections of actual
truth as "doom-n-gloom" or do you truly believe the facts
are out to get you?

DSK

"DSK" wrote in message
. ..
NOYB wrote:
Retail sales for Thanksgiving weekend up 22% from a year ago.


Yep, sales at discount places are UP UP UP... translation, people have
less discretionary income and are buying the cheapest stuff... but at
least they're buying more of it!

Sales dollars don't care if they're being spent on cheap stuff or expensive
stuff. The fact is that they're being spent at a rate that is 22% higher
than last year.







Gas prices have fallen 25% in the last 5 weeks (reach 5 month low)


Does anybody with 3 functioning brain cells think this is a long term
trend?

Of course not. World demand hasn't fallen. But it's still very good news
that fuel costs only 75% of what it did 5 weeks ago.




Stock market up 7% in last 5 weeks (reaches 4 1/2 year high)


Hey great!
But why is it only a a 4 1/2 year high? How come the stock market still
hasn't hit as big as when Clinton was President?

Because the stock market was overinflated from overstated (and fraudulent)
corporate earnings reports...and from "irrational exhuberance" from the
dot-coms.

Yep, sales at discount places are UP UP UP... translation, people have
less discretionary income and are buying the cheapest stuff... but at
least they're buying more of it!


NOYB wrote:
Sales dollars don't care if they're being spent on cheap stuff or expensive
stuff.

Really?
Better check that basic econ text again. Hint: Look up the
definition of "substitute."

... The fact is that they're being spent at a rate that is 22% higher
than last year.


Is that adjusted for inflation? And what do you make of the
consumer confidence level?


.... it's still very good news
that fuel costs only 75% of what it did 5 weeks ago.


Is that a national average? It hasn't fallen that much in
our area, but I agree it's nicer to pay less for gas.



But why is it only a a 4 1/2 year high? How come the stock market still
hasn't hit as big as when Clinton was President?


Because the stock market was overinflated from overstated (and fraudulent)
corporate earnings reports

Really?
There's been a lot more of that in the past 5 years than in
the late 1990s.

.....and from "irrational exhuberance" from the
dot-coms.


Uh huh... better check the names of some of the last months
biggest gainers on the stock board, NOBBY...

DSK

"DSK" wrote in message
.. .
Yep, sales at discount places are UP UP UP... translation, people have
less discretionary income and are buying the cheapest stuff... but at
least they're buying more of it!


NOYB wrote:
Sales dollars don't care if they're being spent on cheap stuff or
expensive stuff.

Really?
Better check that basic econ text again. Hint: Look up the definition of
"substitute."

... The fact is that they're being spent at a rate that is 22% higher
than last year.


Is that adjusted for inflation? And what do you make of the consumer
confidence level?

Does it matter? Inflation isn't anywhere near 22%.




.... it's still very good news that fuel costs only 75% of what it did 5
weeks ago.


Is that a national average?

Yes.


It hasn't fallen that much in our area, but I agree it's nicer to pay less
for gas.

Gas is $2.39/gallon here. I was paying over $3/gallon in early to mid
October.





But why is it only a a 4 1/2 year high? How come the stock market still
hasn't hit as big as when Clinton was President?


Because the stock market was overinflated from overstated (and
fraudulent) corporate earnings reports

Really?
There's been a lot more of that in the past 5 years than in the late
1990s.

No. The news about the corporate earnings reports broke in 2000/2001.
Remember Enron, Worldcom, Global Crossing, etc? Did you pay attention to
what happened to the stock market soon after?

The cheating and lying took place through the 90's. They got *caught* 4-5
years ago.


.....and from "irrational exhuberance" from the dot-coms.


Uh huh... better check the names of some of the last months biggest
gainers on the stock board, NOBBY...


How many of them make up the DJIA?

"NOYB" wrote in message
ink.net...
Retail sales for Thanksgiving weekend up 22% from a year ago.

What about profits?

"NOYB" wrote in message
ink.net...

"DSK" wrote in message
. ..
NOYB wrote:
Retail sales for Thanksgiving weekend up 22% from a year ago.


Yep, sales at discount places are UP UP UP... translation, people have
less discretionary income and are buying the cheapest stuff... but at
least they're buying more of it!

Sales dollars don't care if they're being spent on cheap stuff or
expensive stuff. The fact is that they're being spent at a rate that is
22% higher than last year.

What about profits? And more important, who is being enriched? American
manufacturers?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"NOYB" wrote in message
ink.net...
Retail sales for Thanksgiving weekend up 22% from a year ago.

What about profits?

Unless expenses went up 22% (minus inflation), then profits should have
increased as well.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"NOYB" wrote in message
ink.net...

"DSK" wrote in message
. ..
NOYB wrote:
Retail sales for Thanksgiving weekend up 22% from a year ago.


Yep, sales at discount places are UP UP UP... translation, people have
less discretionary income and are buying the cheapest stuff... but at
least they're buying more of it!

Sales dollars don't care if they're being spent on cheap stuff or
expensive stuff. The fact is that they're being spent at a rate that is
22% higher than last year.

What about profits? And more important, who is being enriched? American
manufacturers?

If profits went up even half what sales went up, then the people "being
enriched" are the folks who are selling the stuff.

If profits were flat despite sales going up, then the people "being
enriched" are the folks who are making the stuff.

No matter what happened to profits, the people "being enriched" are the
sales folks working on commission. Their commission checks are 22% higher
than last year.

"NOYB" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"NOYB" wrote in message
ink.net...

"DSK" wrote in message
. ..
NOYB wrote:
Retail sales for Thanksgiving weekend up 22% from a year ago.


Yep, sales at discount places are UP UP UP... translation, people have
less discretionary income and are buying the cheapest stuff... but at
least they're buying more of it!

Sales dollars don't care if they're being spent on cheap stuff or
expensive stuff. The fact is that they're being spent at a rate that is
22% higher than last year.

What about profits? And more important, who is being enriched? American
manufacturers?

If profits went up even half what sales went up, then the people "being
enriched" are the folks who are selling the stuff.

If profits were flat despite sales going up, then the people "being
enriched" are the folks who are making the stuff.

No matter what happened to profits, the people "being enriched" are the
sales folks working on commission. Their commission checks are 22% higher
than last year.

Well, that eliminates most of the clothing industry from this equation.