A look at the recent rally and how it could mean nothing

If you’re inattentive in this type of market, you’re going to get whacked, says Adam Lass. He predicts US blue chips could lose another 34% before the bear bottoms out. That would put the Dow at just over 5,362 points.

The sheer magnitude of yesterday's stock market surge makes for interesting reading when put in historical context. This post provides some interesting data and charts, and concludes with the question: "Have we seen the bear’s corpse?"

Today's sharp move higher in the stock market sheds light on the dangers of an investor trying to time the market. The market research firm DALBAR looked at the returns of mutual fund investors over the 20-year period, 1986-2006, and reported the average market timer return was -2%. During this same time period, the S&P 500 Index returned 12%.