Imagine a market, if you will, that might have been a bit frothy in 2006.
We know it was frothy, but was it an unmitigated mess?
Then from Peak to Trough it dumped 57%.
So, look at things this way...
The marked crashed 57%, but made it all back in three years. That is, the crash should have been a correction of about 30% given that the S&P 500 grows by about 10%/year - which seems on the high end of expectations. I think I was guessing a 15% - 20% to get back to normal.
Let us project the S&P 500 from 2006/12/31 (S&P 500 = $1,418) at the average of 10% growth to now:
- 0% drop = $4,895
- 10% Correction = $4,405
- 15% Correction = $4,159
- 20% Bear = $3,915
- 25% Bear = $3,670
- 30% Bear = $3,428
- 35% Crash = $3,186
- 40% Crash = $2,938
Now, look back in these very threads. What was the 'feel' back in 2007. There were issues. There were folks bailing out. But, how many projected a full blown crash?
Using my 'feelz' (as the kids say) I would guess the S&P 500 is UNDERVALUED by about:
- S&P 500 at 2019/12/31 = $3,230
- Given a 20% Bear Market in 2007/8 the S&P 500 should be at around $3,915.
- Thus, I 'feelz' the market as proxied by the S&P 500 is undervalued by about 20% - so lots of room to grow!!!
This is obviously weak sauce for making financial decisions on your retirement. However, you have to be in to win. Being out of the market completely (I'm only 64% in the market and left about 5% or 10% growth on the table last year) will result in you being able to buy a titanium camping spoon for your Alpo can on retirement. Let the market start to correct before you correct, eh...