Whether a novice or a pro, we all may mistakes investing.
Sadly, for many of us, 2008 proved to be a year rich with bad options and negative results -- or, as I prefer to call them, learning opportunities.
Here's a review of some of the most painful learning opportunities in 2008:
#1 Going long the specialty retailers: If you made a bet on the specialty retailers leading up to the first $600 taxpayer rebate stimulus package, you got hammered.
#2 Betting on the China bull: Several ETFs that gave investors indexed exposure to Chinese stocks saw their values get hit for as much as 70%.
#3 Buying non-durables: Seems the kitchen and bathroom stocks didn't work this time around.
#4 Buying financials: Buying the financials while the Fed was aggressively cutting interest rates was supposed to be a no-brainer.
#5 Betting on peak oil: Crude is now trading around $40 -- down $107 per barrel in less than six months. Unbelievable!











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-30-2008 @ 10:03PM
Debbie said...
PEOPLE!!! Stop listening to the media. They are the ones that are bringing down our economy. If they said the econmoy was getting better everyone would go out and start living again. Lets do it ourselves and get our economy back in shape. Those who can spend SPEND!!! That would start the factories to bring back workers then those would spend. Come on lets do it!!!!!!
12-30-2008 @ 11:17PM
todd said...
Debbie...you must be the stupidest person to ever get their hands on a computer
12-31-2008 @ 1:12AM
boomboom said...
Todd... Debbie's hands are on the keyboard! Not the computer. Who's toopid now?
1-01-2009 @ 10:04PM
Paul said...
You Might Try Plugging the holes which are draining our economy south of the border first . Yes Migrant workers are working all around me in the storm hit areas and I ran out of work somehow .I lost a Job this week cause I speak english . I have to admit I have a spanish background but I am a citizen with a legentament ssi card . I have nothing against immigrants but i do have issues about the Americans only hiring immigrants now. I say Wake the F up!they do not spend here That Cash leaves the country.
12-31-2008 @ 4:02AM
toopid said...
Paul has a good point. Also, boomboom is too stupid to even be toopid. The keyboard is part of the compooter dumbo. And Todd is right; Debbie's posting is retarded.
12-31-2008 @ 5:15AM
Tara said...
PEOPLE!!! Stop listening to the media. They are the ones that are bringing down our economy. If they said the econmoy was getting better everyone would go out and start living again. Lets do it ourselves and get our economy back in shape. Those who can spend SPEND!!! That would start the factories to bring back workers then those would spend. Come on lets do it!!!!!!.......Debbie, are you Really this stupid, or are you just pulling our legs?????where is all this magical money supposed to come from, and once we've maxed out the cards and drained our accounts, what do we live on??? the economy crashed BECAUSE people spent too much and cant pay. We're going to have to retrench for a couple of years and live practically. A lot of people will be hurt, but thats life.
12-31-2008 @ 7:53AM
Tom said...
This is what happens in a country where the people have no power but think they are FREE.
12-31-2008 @ 7:57AM
Bossman said...
Paul:
You claim you lost your job because you speak english? Riiiiiiiight.
You lost your job because you tend to arrive late and leave early. You lost your job because you tend to "injure" yourself on the job and file for workers comp. You lost your job because you figured it was low paying and "you're worth more than that."
As an employer, I'll take one illegal Hispanic who really values his/her job over THREE lazy, injury-prone, entitlement-fatted U.S. citizens any day of the week.
"Lost your job because you speak english." What a load of BS.
12-31-2008 @ 9:11AM
jerry said...
Debbie is right in one way only. Spending will help the economy, but the people have to have the money to spend. To give the money to big business (baul outs are ridiculous) They just opt to relocate their business oversees or hire cheaper labor. And then they wonder why their businesses go belly up. We the laborer are the consumer. You lower our wages, union busting, hiring illegals whatever, reduces the buying power of the consumer and thus my friend is cutting your own throats. If your nearsightedness wan't doing damage to everybody, not just you, I would say goo denought for you.
12-31-2008 @ 10:01AM
bob said...
bossman what business are you in? I or one do not do business with people like you.
1-01-2009 @ 10:23PM
Paul said...
to Bossman,
you might be right about some but wrong about me . I really was called having a spanish last name . And was really surprized to see the guy was not interested in a guy raised in this country. he thought I was a Immigrant and therefore cheap. I am Not Injury Prone and Have nevr claimed workers Comp!I do not even go to unemployment !I go to My Knees and Prey. I am A corparation Why in the heck would I be interested in the low Life Life Thinking habbit You JUDGED ME WITH .After all we do tend to acuse others of our own schemes.
GET A LIFE!
And Keep it Clear that when The citizens Of your very own country go to the Goverment for AID remeber .your taxes Got Out Ragous Cause You HIRED IMMIGRANTS who took your Cash money underthe table South of the border . The only Way to get it back now is to SELL TO THEM!Produce things to sell in the southern nations. and also the rest of the world. We Must Balance the circle of life.We have to readjust and adapt to a new world.