Daily Investment Interpretations

January 11, 2010

2010-1-11:  The indices closed mixed today. The NASDAQ Composite fell 4.76 points, (-0.31%) to close at 2,312.41, the Dow added 45.60 points (0.43%) to close at 10,663.99 and the S&P 500 rose 2 points (`0.17%) to 1,146.98. Oil dropped a little to $81.88 a barrel. Gold closed up at $1,152. The VIX fell 0.58 to 17.55.
    Here are two divergent articles concerning what's in store for 2010. With respect to the first, Storm clouds forming over market, the author comments on the low values for the VIX (the so-called "fear index"). It may be worth noting in this regard that from early 2004 until the middle of 2007, the VIX spent most of its time at levels below tonight's close at 17.55. The other article is Dawn of the Decade: The Bull Case for 2010.
    I'd like to write more more about this, but we took Amber to Toys R'Us this evening as compensation for having to take an H1N1 flu shot this afternoon, and I spent the rest of the evening on the floor playing house with her, and reading her bedtime stories. The one interlude when I stole to the computer to update today's investment interpretations was truncated when Amber stole to the computer to tell me that the dolls that came with her little plastic castle were too tall to fit in the castle. (And sure enough, she's right.)