We are not huge fans of market anniversaries or faux celebrations when the Dow crosses a round number.  However the extremes of the past few years have provided investors with a crash course in market behavior.  Not only did the market teach us all about its potential risk, but it also was a lesson in the false promise of punditry.  In short, if you did not have a system that recognized the change in market character you are likely still on the sidelines. The stock market has moved higher after having stalled out in 2010 in large part because earnings (and the economy) have performed better than expectations.  There indications that risk is no longer a four letter word.  Investors have plunged back into hedge funds and market sentiment is now back to the high end of the range.  In today’s screencast we look back at the past two years in market performance.

Items mentioned in the above screencast:

The bull turns two.  (Crossing Wall Street)

The idiot-maker rally.  (Clusterstock)

Hedge fund assets have rebounded to pre-crisis levels.  (WSJ)

The rebound in market sentiment.  (Bespoke)

This content, which contains security-related opinions and/or information, is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon in any manner as professional advice, or an endorsement of any practices, products or services. There can be no guarantees or assurances that the views expressed here will be applicable for any particular facts or circumstances, and should not be relied upon in any manner. You should consult your own advisers as to legal, business, tax, and other related matters concerning any investment.

The commentary in this “post” (including any related blog, podcasts, videos, and social media) reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints, and analyses of the Ritholtz Wealth Management employees providing such comments, and should not be regarded the views of Ritholtz Wealth Management LLC. or its respective affiliates or as a description of advisory services provided by Ritholtz Wealth Management or performance returns of any Ritholtz Wealth Management Investments client.

References to any securities or digital assets, or performance data, are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Charts and graphs provided within are for informational purposes solely and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The content speaks only as of the date indicated. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects, and/or opinions expressed in these materials are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by others.

Please see disclosures here.

Please see the Terms & Conditions page for a full disclaimer.