I’ve actually prospered during the pandemic

The bounce back from the initial plunge has been amazingly fast as shutdowns continue. Add to that the housing market on fire and record RV sales and it’s hard to say we have such a horrible economy as democrats constantly do

 

I kind of agree with you in respects to the stock market. A lot of tech companies have done very well. MSFT, GOOG, FB have had over 20% growth since the beginning of covid. AMZN has had over 50% growth and AAPL has nearly doubled. Your VTI ETF has had about 9% growth in the last 6 months but most of that is on the performance of the tech companies. If you removed Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft it would probably be losing money. Remember ATI has about 30% tech. Also it has about 15% in pharma so, which has also done quite well. The financial industry is still down and entertainment and travel related businesses are suffering greatly. The CCL stock I mentioned earlier has lost 60% of it value. I would buy because Carnival was the biggest cruise ship company in the world but everyone I talk to still thinks it is possible that the company will go under. Disney is down significantly although this will be the last stock I sell because it was one of the first I bought and at least some has a lot of sentimental value. I have no idea how manufacturing or natural resources are doing since I stopped investing in those companies years ago when I lost a ton of money on natural gas but my guess would be it is not doing too well.

 

When dynamics change some win some lose. Airlines are doing badly while Netflix is on a tear. Ain’t capitalism grand.

 

I have a portfolio and it's up 25% since COVID started. And only a few companies in my portfolio are tech.
Home Depot, Cummins, PG, and Cat have done well, for instance. The ONLY stocks, for some reason, that have cost me money since April is Intel, L3, and SO.

Revision - as of now, up 27.33% since April.

 

I don't know if I would call it grand but I am a huge supporter of capitalism. I work in the tech industry that provide services and builds applications systems for the financial industry so capitalism is our lifeblood. I feel bad for those in the heavily impacted industries though. People in tourism, hospitality, manufacturing, and retail are suffering. They are losing jobs and their lives and hugely impacted.

 

I have considered some of those stocks in the past but the only one I own is Intel and you are correct it hasn't done very well during the crisis. Over all it is still up for me since I bought is several years ago but since the crisis it has gone down. AMD on the other hand has done pretty well. I tend to stick with tech because that is what I know. I work in the industry and am familiar with it. I also favor the financial industry for the same reason.

 

I have to be frank - that's a portfolio my father left to me when he passed in April, right before COVID lockdowns became widespread. His death wasn't COVID related.

I've left that portfolio untouched since it was a managed portfolio and the advisors advised against shifting investments, and they're still managing it. My 401(k), which is about 1.5 times the size of that portfolio has outperformed even that portfolio. But it's a lot of funds, and not straight stocks, so a comparison is a bit more difficult.

If I didn't have a little one that I have to plan for college, I'd be on pace to retire about my 55th birthday. Paying for his college will set me back a decade, lol.

 

That’s the name of the capitalism game and many of those displaced workers can shift to other industries that are profiting due to the Covid economy.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2020/04/03/companies-hiring-coronavirus/amp/

 

Sorry about your father's passing. Portfolio managers are great, (and not just because I have to say that because we build a lot of portfolio management software), but you should make sure you speak to them and make your investment objects clear. Your savings objectives, especially since you have a young family, are probably greatly different than your father. They should take that into consideration.

 

Thanks. He led a great life and was a great example for me to follow for my son, and I was fortunate enough to let him know that before he passed. Portfolio managers have time (and access to the data) to watch the markets, while I don't. I have a separate account that I contribute to for my son's education, plus the 401(k), which is also managed. I think college tuition will outpace them all, though!!!!

And I'm a licensed CPA, lol. Can't do my job and keep up with the markets. In fact, when I head back to work next week after this little vacation, I'm going to be swamped!!

 

Hey, the S&P 500 is up roughly 47% from its 2020 low. You'd probably done better being invested in index funds.

 

ONLY 10%! LOL! I remember when Obama was criticized for such numbers, even though the previous crash occurred under Bush.

Also, ONLY low income service workers. They don't matter, do they? But, hail Trump!!

 

good job, course the country is trillions more in debt now, but yes, dumping trillions into the market propped it back up temporarily, will have to do again and again though

 

you sure it's not cause the fed is dumping trillions into the market?

 

I didn’t have the portfolio until a month and a half after the low.

 

Odd how some have this need to brag about themselves.

 

Uh-huh.
What would you have said if Trump vetoed the COVID relief package, stating "this bill **cks our grandchildren by stacking debt onto their futures so that we can make today's politicians look good."?

 

what are they saying now that Republicans refuse to help the people....?

 

You mean the trillions the democrats proposed. I am sure it has helped,

 

Yup

The wealthy are doing just fine

While bitching that unemployed folks get a couple bucks extra a week

 

I'm not wealthy and I'm doing fine. I have so much work I can't get it all done. And I'm not bitching about any unemployed getting help.

 

Good for you. Read the rest of the thread. Those people Have bitched about that extra $600

 

I have no control over them. Let them bitch. It won't change anything.

 

It is revealing though

 

Out the other side of your mouth, you'll blame Trump for the debt that results from the spending on same.
This what happens to people who begin with "I hate Trump!" and work backwards from there.