smells like a bottom...

A certain “something” emanating from the markets...

A few are almost game enough to suggest a bottom is near…this could explain the smell…but clearly most commentators are just far too shell-shocked these days to put their reputations on the line.

Lets be frank here…most simply to not have a clue!

The old adage...throw enough (you know what) and some will stick, rings ever true in the market’s psyche right now, with the bad news and general negative commentary doing the rounds...so much of it about, it really does get hard to think clearly at times.

I have no doubt what so ever we will see more bad news, in many different corporate and social shapes...but not unlike those living in war zones, over time we become immune to the fear of it all.

The explosions around us lose their impact!

I suspect most are now numb and somewhat immune to most of the antics going on in the market...and whilst a mad rush to buy is not likely to eventuate any time soon, the simple fact remains that most stocks will probably not get much cheaper than they are now.

So...do we wait for them to move, miss the initial upside and buy when an upwards trend is obvious...or, do we take a risk with at least some of our capital, to take advantage a few pretty obvious bargains?

I am leaning to the latter...I understand however some, perhaps still suffering from the shock of it all, will not be prepared to move just yet.

Sadly...I also fear many are actually still exiting stocks at the moment on a long-term basis...amazingly after riding them all the way down from their highs, just a year and a bit back.

At current levels, the weighting clearly favours upside if your outlook spans more than a few weeks/months...it is in my view a reasonably good time to go long, which is why selling now is probably the last thing a longer term investor should do.

I know numerous older "punters" finally bailing at present...on "professional advice" mind you...probably the same “advice” that told them to buy at the top?

I am back in the market...have been for a while...and I accept it is an early call.

Cheers!