It bears remembering that the stock market is forward looking (about 6 months), so if you expect interest rate hikes in the later half of half of 2010, keep a close eye on the exit door when summer comes around.

Since the last week of June, the stock market has whipsawed in a tight range. Gone is the hot-headed exuberance but neither has a drastic correction materialize. Some bulls are still holding the fort amid a thin market volume, but deciphering market sentiment is difficult as false signals can be easily generated by a few market participants.

I won’t be looking at stocks for a while. Inaction is a decision too when it comes to safe investing. Of course, you can always add to your portoflio if you are a long-term investor. For the time being, I am keen to accumulate gold. We may still be in a deflationary environment but the impending inflation from all the printed money is no laughing matter.

Ben Bernanke is indeed a man of his words. He not only stepped into a helicopter to drop money, he virtually flew a B-52 bomber and carpet bombed the skittish financial system with a trillion dollar payload.

Global stock markets have been whitewashed over the past month, Dow Jones fell to its lowest level in 6 years this week, and gold has charged to a record high $1,007 as investors seek to preserve capital.

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