The remaining 3 months of 2009 ...

Nine months into the year and we've experienced:

1. The stock markets crashed in March 2009 and we're moving to higher highs.

2. We've witnessed a nasty virus (H1N1) and it spread to level 6 pandemic levels.

3. Gold has rocketed to almost breaking 1038/oz.

4. The US dollar is close to breaking another low ( Bloomberg).

5. We are at the brink of national healthcare reform.

6. Sell-in May and go away (did not happen, the markets rallied).

7. September crash month of 2008 did not occur (so far).

8. The infamous fear index (^VIX) is trending lower.

What do you think will be in store for the rest of 2009? Where do we go from here?

One thing for sure has happened is problems continue to worsen but the reaction has gotten less and less (even the media has stopped talking about the bad things).

We've printed lots of $ and the conclusion at the G20 was we need to continue supporting a recovering economy. Few are buying gold jewelry but for some strange reason, someone or something is parking lots of money into gold. Some guess it is could be China.

Yes, stability has occurred and it may be here to stay with a cost. The cost will be a weaker dollar. If the problems require even more printing, the dollar may further weaken and gold may break to higher levels despite lack of jewelry demand.

Only time will tell what 2009 holds in store for Christmas this year.

U.S. consumers have changed and showed that change is possible. Articles on being frugal (aka Financially Fit) is the new trend: story.

What do you see for the remaining 3 months?

One thing is for sure. Oil has remained expensive and increased demand could make it go higher. Less demand means less recovery (so we don't want that either). How about food? Will food get cheaper or more expensive? The only solution would be to mass produce more animals, more plants in confined conditions.

Here is some humor to pass the time:

Question: But wouldn't that create more H1N1 like viruses?

Answer: Yes, but let's put that off for now and worry about a financial recovery. By the way, those genetically modified crops could offer a way to lower food costs.

Question: But wouldn't we run the risk of single genetics that could get infected (i.e. the potato blight in Ireland)?

Answer: Anything is possible. Let's put that off for now and worry about feeding the family with lower cost foods. By the way, those genetically modified crops taste quite 'similar'. You'll get used to it and soon forget there was ever an issue.

Question: Those banks that were too big to fail have gotten stronger. This seems like creating a bigger bubble than before.

Answer: Nah, you're just being oversensitive. If there is another bubble, we'll take care of it just like we always do.

Question: The water doesn't taste so good. There are medical publications about acinetobacter being multi-drug resistant. Do you think the wastewater facilities are working?

Answer: What do you want? It is free. Low cost. How can you complain about free stuff. Now if we could start charging for it, we might improvise.