[Silver]

How does this sound:

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcJlB-6eH01crxDRTm9ufIeLdTkw

This man isn't qualified to be President of the Pee Wee Herman fan club.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

awesome...
he so much sounds like a south american generalisimo sometimes...

 

[ohio]

That web page is showing up all blurry through the tears.

 

[MarinR00]

I'll tell you that living in Germany sucks.

Bernanke needs to go away, fast. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, it is hard to follow someone like Greenspan, but this guy has trashed the US dollar and if obviously anything but impartial.

 

[Reactor]

He's a moron. People wonder why there is no foreign investment? The US government has gobbled up 10 trillions in borrowed money, and our dollar is plunging 10-20% a year on world markets.

 

[MMike]

President of the Pee Wee Herman fan club. :

He'd better not....I'm still interviewing campaign advisors....

 

[Silver]

I'll tell you that living in Germany sucks.

Bernanke needs to go away, fast. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, it is hard to follow someone like Greenspan, but this guy has trashed the US dollar and if obviously anything but impartial.

It's not Bernanke that's the problem at all. Basically, the problem is this: We're bleeding money in Iraq at a pretty good clip, and we as a nation have been living on housing equity the last 5 or so years, maybe even longer. Our current account deficit is huge, because of that, and the only thing a weak dollar helps is exports, which doesn't mean much since manufacturing exports are 12% of our GDP. Our saving rate needs to come up, but if that happens that means our household consumption goes down, and that means a recession.

Bernanke can't raise the interest rate on the dollar to the point where investment in it looks attractive without throwing the economy that is heading into recession totally down the toilet.

Basically, we're screwed. I have 50% of my money invested in international funds. I'm seriously considering making that number north of 70%...

 

[RenegadeRick]

Basically, we're screwed. I have 50% of my money invested in international funds. I'm seriously considering making that number north of 70%...

I really should up my international holdings from 11%...
I just knocked it up to 20% of my new contributions.

My 401k with Vanguard only offers 1 international fund and I am just not comfortable putting everything in 1 basket even though it is the best performer of all available funds.

Oh well. At least I only lost about $3,400 so far this month.

 

[LordOpie]

It's not Bernanke that's the problem at all. Basically, the problem is this: We're bleeding money in Iraq at a pretty good clip, and we as a nation have been living on housing equity the last 5 or so years, maybe even longer. Our current account deficit is huge, because of that, and the only thing a weak dollar helps is exports, which doesn't mean much since manufacturing exports are 12% of our GDP. Our saving rate needs to come up, but if that happens that means our household consumption goes down, and that means a recession.

Bernanke can't raise the interest rate on the dollar to the point where investment in it looks attractive without throwing the economy that is heading into recession totally down the toilet.

Basically, we're screwed. I have 50% of my money invested in international funds. I'm seriously considering making that number north of 70%...

(must spread rep...)
Everyone, please re-read Silver's post. He's dead on.

Bernanke is doing a fine job. He didn't want to raise rates, but he really kind of needed to.

"We have a strong dollar policy, and it's important for the world to know that. We also believe it's important for the market to set the value of the dollar relative to other currencies," the president said.

What a tool. What happened to the days where everyone set their value based on the US$?

 

[N8 v2.0]

I really should up my international holdings from 11%...
I just knocked it up to 20% of my new contributions.

My 401k with Vanguard only offers 1 international fund and I am just not comfortable putting everything in 1 basket even though it is the best performer of all available funds.

Oh well. At least I only lost about $3,400 so far this month.

i just upped my portfolio from 30% to 50% International holdings... i'm bullish on foreign stocks...

 

[r464]

Maybe I can convince my company to start paying me in Euros...

 

[Reactor]

At least half my retirement funds are in overseas stock funds, one has an off quarter and still made 22% last year.

 

[Reactor]

Maybe I can convince my company to start paying me in Euros...

if you can lock it in, it would be a good deal .

 

[LordOpie]

The only problem with buying more foreign stocks is that y'all are buying it with a weak dollar.

Consider that, plus the probability that you'll be selling the foreign investments when the dollar is stronger. You'll be paying exchange rate loses twice.

 

[$tinkle]

The only problem with buying more foreign stocks is that y'all are buying it with a weak dollar.

Consider that, plus the probability that you'll be selling the foreign investments when the dollar is stronger. You'll be paying exchange rate loses twice.

i don't think the above posters intend to get on the hang seng or nikkei markets, but rather look into emerging markets heavily investing in african & s.american wireless & cellular service/providers, or at least they should be if wanting to spit on freedom in earnest.

but really, what better way to get growth than to get it into another growing economy than get it out of your mattress & put it into a foreign index fund?

also recall that a lot of our domestic business is heavily invested overseas. you think MSFT, IBM, HPQ, ORCL, JAVAD are only stateside?

(full disclosure: i'm 10-15% on foreign mkts)


but yeah: "We have a strong dollar policy" - what a tool.

 

[LordOpie]

i don't think the above posters intend to get on the hang seng or nikkei markets, but rather look into emerging markets heavily investing in african & s.american wireless & cellular service/providers, or at least they should be if wanting to spit on freedom in earnest.

my bad, I was thinking of investments in companies that are Euro based.

I think it's US$1.50=1E?

I know everyone involved would like to get it back to 1:1. Buying anything Euro-based now and selling later is something to reconsider.

But yeah, your point of emerging markets is true and something I wasn't considering before.

 

[Silver]

The only problem with buying more foreign stocks is that y'all are buying it with a weak dollar.

Consider that, plus the probability that you'll be selling the foreign investments when the dollar is stronger. You'll be paying exchange rate loses twice.

2 things complicate this:

1: Is the fund hedged for currency risk?
2: Do you think the dollar is going to go lower?

 

[ohio]

I've been 70% foreign invested since 2002... probably closer to 80-85% now since only the foreign funds have done well. To stinkle's point, it's a mix of value (EU, Japan, Korea) and growth (developing countries), but more in developing countries. I'm young and can take risks.

I've actually just recently considered moving more of it back in the the US, because I don't think the dollar can go much lower and I don't think our next president can possibly screw things up even more, but I'm waiting for the (inevitable) housing crash and the volatility of the election period to really bottom things out before I do it.

I'm also doing everything I can to spend a year or two in Shanghai. We are ****ed. I love this country, but it's going to take a miraculous leader and a populous mind-shift to salvage it, and I don't think either of those things are possible.

 

[N8 v2.0]

I've been 70% foreign invested since 2002... probably closer to 80-85%.

come on... like none of us knew that already...

 

[X3pilot]

than an investor.

Wall Street Plans $38 Billion of Bonuses as Shareholders Lose


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ahE8xVisWsbE&refer=worldwide

 

[ohio]

come on... like none of us knew that already...

True, I've actually been invested directly into Al Qaeda. Been a big fan ever since fall '01, and I'm still bullish on their continued growth.

 

[MikeD]

True, I've actually been invested directly into Al Qaeda. Been a big fan ever since fall '01, and I'm still bullish on their continued growth.

But I thought blind devotion to globalized economics was the new patriotism. How can a commie like you be doing what Goerge Bush wants? I'm going to blow a logic circuit here!!