by Rick Ackerman
RickAckerman.com
We’ve had four months to observe and analyze the bear market that began a single tick off January 4’s record high. What might be said about it so far? Mainly that it has been far kinder and gentler than we should expect. Realize that the biggest financial bubble in U.S. history has popped. Although this is becoming increasingly obvious, you can be certain investors are waiting to jump back in at the subtlest sign of a bottom. Their brokers and financial advisors will be the first to spot this bottom, along with a dozen more as the broad averages work their way toward the deepest bottom imaginable
In the meantime, the little guys reportedly have been shifting their capital into money market funds, although not at a pace that has spiked redemptions at Vanguard, Black Rock, State Street and a few other biggies that for 13 years made the bull market seem unstoppable. At some point the Leviathans will necessarily turn seller as their customers dive out of shares. It is impossible to say when this climactic phase of the bear market will begin or how long it will take to run its course.