LABJ Forum: Getting Out of the Market?

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It seemed like investors couldn’t go wrong in a market fueled by high-tech hopes and dot-com dreams. Then the Nasdaq took the biggest roller-coaster ride in its history. So the Business Journal asks:

Has the recent stock market volatility made you leery of investing?

Larry Muller

Senior Real Estate

Director

OnSite Access

I do have money in some tech stocks, and they’re way down. But my philosophy is to wait it out. Nothing matters until you decide to sell. So anybody who gets out now when they don’t have to is silly in my opinion. Some sell because they have debts, and others sell because they think the world is ending. But I don’t feel that way. We’ve got a good economy, and I never buy anything on margin, personally.

Dallas Price

Vice President

American Golf Corp.

I’m not a doomsayer, so my response is to hang in there. We just have to kind of ride it out. I have investments but I don’t really play the market. If I wanted to spend the time analyzing and reading and second-guessing the market, I would. But look what it’s been doing. It’s been like a yo-yo. I don’t think I would be any wiser as to where it’s going to go, even if I did study up like an analyst. I’m just glad that my financial future doesn’t depend on the stock market I have a very successful company, and it’s privately held.

Mike Pavlovich

Clinical Assessment Pharmacist

PharMerica

I’m not overly concerned. Being prepared for big swings in the market is much more important. This is just part of the market’s natural course. I think if you’re investing for the long term, this pull-back presents a great opportunity to pick up more of the stocks you really like at an even better price.

Irina Mondelina

President

West Coast Paralegal

If I was in individual stocks I would probably be more nervous, but most of my money is in mutual funds. I have faith in the fund managers. The funds have been really consistent over the years, so the money in there is not something that I would liquidate right away. I expect the fluctuations to continue for the next few years because of all the day trading. I think that’s what’s causing the fluctuations it’s the new fad, it’s another form of gambling.

Larry Marino

Talk Show Host

KIEV-AM 870

I kind of look at my stocks like a hibernating bear. If I had awakened her last week she would have eaten me alive, but I have plenty of time before I need to do that. My stocks are long term. I began my portfolio with solid blue-chip stocks, and it’s way up from when I started, even if it’s down a bit right now.

Debra Lietz

Business Development Manager

RTKL Associates

I’m in it for the long haul. It’s just a matter of having a diverse portfolio and sticking to the proven companies like Cisco or GE. I wouldn’t put more than 50 percent of my 401(k) allocation into high-risk tech funds. I don’t think it’s a recession, it’s more of a correction. I am much more leery of the volatility of international markets than of the tech stocks in our domestic market.

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