2013 Brokerage Firm Stock Market Targets

So here are the 2013 S&P targets from the biggest banks and brokerage firms.  Lets see how this works out.

Somebody has to be right given the extreme ranges from 1390 (1% loss) all the way to 1615 (14% gain).

Problem is that your stockbroker or financial advisor that works at one of these firms doesn't have to heed any of the advice given to them from the guys that make these targets, not that they should either.

Brokerage firms are smart, they promise nothing and deliver less.  Your financial guy can invest your money pretty much as he or she sees fit and this is great for the brokerage firm because it smoothes out the edges and the commissions and fees keep coming in!

Just remember that it costs money to have someone 'watch' your money.  And even 1% adds up over time.  You can and should invest by yourself and for yourself.

Barron's Perfect Timing Again

I have a copy of the current issue of Barron's which is a weekly financial newspaper published by Dow Jones.

Barron's has an uncanny nack for picking the worst possibly time to cover a story.

This issue's cover is about the best 25 dividend funds, REALLY?!?!

In past blogs here and at How The Investment Business REALLY Works and How Boomers Should Invest NOW, I have discussed how the infatuation with dividend stocks is getting dangerous.  I have said in the past that stock dividends are NOT a replacement for fixed income investments.  I have said that stockbrokers and financial advisors will blindly follow the lemmings over the cliff with your money!

So Barron's perfect timing strikes again (in my opinion) probably picking the top for dividend funds and dividend paying stocks with their cover and article.

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