Friday, November 4, 2011

Weekly Wrap

After another highly volatile week, all three major stock indices ended about 2% lower for the week. According to MarketWatch.com -
U.S. stocks closed lower Friday, breaking a string of weekly gains as worries about Greece's future in the euro zone overrode mildly positive U.S. data.
It's not surprising how high market volatility has been this past week, as economic uncertainty is so high as well. But, what has really changed, both economically and politically, this week as compared to the last six weeks? Nothing, except investors' perceptions of what's being reported.

After experiencing one reported crisis after another on a daily basis for the past few months, it almost seems to me as if the financial media is the driving force behind this increased volatility, as opposed to anything measurable. It makes me wonder if they've discovered a direct relationship between worry, readership, and revenue, and are exploiting it?

I don't know. Am I way off-base in embracing this conspiratorial line of reasoning? You tell me.

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