Is the stock market going to tank?

**Benny Profane** · 10-07-2014, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by shroom

i realize that any listed firm is as much a finance company as anything, but it's ridiculous how much effort goes into short term stock manipulation rather than long term success - that is one thing i like about Bezos and AMZN.

Sooner or later he has to make money, not spend money. Or figure out how to get huge tax breaks like Elon Musk, who also doesn't make much money.

**4matic** · 10-07-2014, 10:25 PM

Four year low in gasoline price tonight. That should help ski resorts. Price at the pump should drop another 10-15c soon.

**Bromontana** · 10-08-2014, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Sooner or later he has to make money, not spend money. Or figure out how to get huge tax breaks like Elon Musk, who also doesn't make much money.

While the flat statement is true.. any suggestion that Bezos' prioritization of R&D, IP, etc is misplaced comes off as support for the quarter to quarter margin bullshit game that places inordinate emphasis on shareholder returns at the expense of "lower-tier" stakeholders. Like tenured employees, one of the most valuable assets of the firms.

**Benny Profane** · 10-08-2014, 08:10 AM

You can't be a startup forever. He's been playing that game since the beginning. If he wants to be a public company and live off those riches, he's going to have to benefit the shareholders, too. I'm not sure what his end game is, but he's done a ton of damage to the retail world in the process, and he's hit a wall with the book biz by pissing off the people who write the books by acting like a monopolistic dick. Walmart is a very efficient company and may control the world, too, but the stock blows. Let's see some profits.

**creaky fossil** · 10-08-2014, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by iceman

I see Dow 10K and 20K as about equally likely. Should we shit or go blind? Beat off or shoot someone? Who the fuck knows. How 'bout them Bruins?

These are the things that comfort me:

when AM Best and Moody's will flex your rating for various eyes averted reasons
when vapor is running the economy
when China laughs at your lack of industry
when your ...um... growth or ...aaahhh... stability is premised on using govt as cash cow
when trading houses churn for profit and still win lawsuits about churning
lizard brains are revved up and these lizards don't need to sun themselves before action
flash profits not durable but definitely tasty like heroin when they're flowing

We are living in a Bunuel movie, this is a lucky thing.

**4matic** · 10-08-2014, 08:41 AM

Market is churning like a mf'er today. DAX fighting to hold 9000. It's anyones game right now but there is fuel for a big move. Gasoline is falling apart.

**GBB** · 10-08-2014, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by 4matic

Market is churning like a mf'er today. DAX fighting to hold 9000. It's anyones game right now but there is fuel for a big move. Gasoline is falling apart.

Hopefully the Russell finds the support it needs to hold this long term trend line today.

**Benny Profane** · 10-08-2014, 01:41 PM

Riding that chair back up........

**grrrr** · 10-08-2014, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Riding that chair back up........

Great! I'll get off at the top.

**4matic** · 10-08-2014, 02:40 PM

Fed punted. Score tied at halftime (this week). There is a lot of volume at lower prices. Great game for spectators right now.

**Benny Profane** · 10-08-2014, 02:49 PM

Stocks Explode Higher on Fears of Renewed Economic Weakness

**Bromontana** · 10-08-2014, 02:52 PM

BTFD: buy the fucking dip

**Mazderati** · 10-08-2014, 03:07 PM

**ICEHOCEY77** · 10-08-2014, 06:01 PM

Just put all my money in iron ore. Gonna corner the market.

**GeezerSteve** · 10-08-2014, 06:47 PM

Holy fuck. I was tied up in meetings all day and just now looked at the numbers and the fed news.

**shroom** · 10-08-2014, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

You can't be a startup forever. He's been playing that game since the beginning. If he wants to be a public company and live off those riches, he's going to have to benefit the shareholders, too. I'm not sure what his end game is, but he's done a ton of damage to the retail world in the process, and he's hit a wall with the book biz by pissing off the people who write the books by acting like a monopolistic dick. Walmart is a very efficient company and may control the world, too, but the stock blows. Let's see some profits.

serious question: why?

what's wrong with a firm growing only at the rate of inflation if it can pay it's employees and provide value? im sure he's not live or die on $AMZN at this point. i realize this is a weird thought - i just don't understand why complacency has to be the devil ('cept money, of course).

**GeezerSteve** · 10-09-2014, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

I'm not sure what his end game is. . . .

His end game is obvious to those of us who live in Amazonialand: Eventual near-monopolistic market power over most product sectors purchased on line, i.e., one-stop shopping for the masses. Think: 1902 Sears Roebuck catalog redux. Perhaps shared monopoly with alibaba. Most Seattlites don't like the guy notwithstanding the strong (for now) rising tide of in-city home prices.

**Benny Profane** · 10-09-2014, 08:02 AM

All he needs is a justice department to start swinging it's anti trust dick around, and game over. Oh, wait.......

**GeezerSteve** · 10-09-2014, 08:03 AM

Sherman Act/Clayton Act enforcement is so 1971

**4matic** · 10-09-2014, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by GBB

Hopefully the Russell finds the support it needs to hold this long term trend line today.

Dead cat? Junk bonds getting hammered today.

**Benny Profane** · 10-09-2014, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by 4matic

Dead cat? Junk bonds getting hammered today.

Good to see the NASDAQ in a bear market too. There is some justice every now and then.

**creaky fossil** · 10-09-2014, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by shroom

serious question: why?

because as of 2014, durability and stability are considered reactionary, backward, troglodytic, red-necked qualities that no refined, futuristic, modern, technophilic, I-am-one-with-progress Babbitt ever should consider, let alone endorse. what matters most is flash profit, regardless of the fallout from chasing the flash. hence analysts worry over hourly or daily shifts, and lots of people are paid to worry similarly on behalf of various marks...uh, I mean clients.

**Benny Profane** · 10-09-2014, 09:26 AM

It's pretty amazing how some of those people are put up on pedestals as great businessman. Musk sells expensive toys to rich people and loses money in the billions, and the press swoons over his bizarre outer space obsessions. Andreessen basically fails at his first business and fucked up a few other, but somehow he's the guru of silicon valley finance. And that's our supposed best and brightest.

**4matic** · 10-09-2014, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

It's pretty amazing how some of those people are put up on pedestals as great businessman. Musk sells expensive toys to rich people and loses money in the billions, and the press swoons over his bizarre outer space obsessions. Andreessen basically fails at his first business and fucked up a few other, but somehow he's the guru of silicon valley finance. And that's our supposed best and brightest.

Aerospace Engineering is a "bizarre obsessions?" Benny probably using Firefox (Andreesen) from his condo to surf the web (Andreesen).

Junk hammering continues.

**Benny Profane** · 10-09-2014, 10:22 AM

I thought Al Gore invented the web. Palm to forehead.

Hey, fantasies of a million people on Mars probably gives his nerdy friends hard ons as they Hoover the blow off their hooker's asses, but, as I said, show me some profits.