“The biggest thing to remember is: watch the news concerning the derivatives market. That is where the real serious problems that can bring our country to a screeching halt reside”
ok...and what kind of news about derivatives might cause me to start breathing into a paper bag? :)
Pay attention to how much money the Feds and Treasury pump into the market to create artificial liquidity. Same with the international markets. As those numbers go up it will be time to be wise stewards at home.
Also, watch the value of the U.S. dollar against Gold and Silver. If the precious metals commodities spike then be careful. It could mean that investors are "running" to safety.
There are a lot of other things that concern the derivatives market directly but are pretty complex to explain unless you have a very serious economic background. The two that I mentioned are easy to follow and should help you.