Lie #7: Consumer Spending Is Returning to Normal


Lie #7 -- Consumer spending is returning to normalWith 70% of the GDP driven by consumer spending, Wall Street wants to believe this lie so badly that it has convinced itself it's true. Even worse-than-expected Black Friday sales haven't forced the Street to give up this inane hope.

Real consumer wealth is down more than 40% in the past two years; credit is contracting and unemployment is rising. That is not exactly the recipe for increased consumer spending.

Lesson for investors in 2010: Companies that are dependent on discretionary consumer spending are going to get whacked.

Next: Lie #8: The Fed Only Buys AAA-Rated Bonds and Securities

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