[Mike K]

There are other investments besides long term. Those who began their long term investing in March of 2000 will wait 20 years before breaking even. Just like those who bought gold att he top in '87.

Those who went long in bull markets (gold) and short in bear markets (Dow, Naz, Sox et al) are very nicely in the money during that intermediate term.

[College Repub]

Fair enough.

[antaresequity]

Those who went long in bull markets (gold) and short in bear markets (Dow, Naz, Sox et al) are very nicely in the money during that intermediate term.

Yep...buy and hold is losing strategy for todays investor. It always will be. Every single trade should have stop, or reversal...

[Jason_b]

"Those who began their long term investing in March of 2000 will wait 20 years before breaking even."

Don't forget to factor in inflation. At average 7% yearly, and remember that the destruction of purchasing power compounds yearly, it might take a multiple of 20 years to get your capital back in real inflation adjusted terms, and in that time, there could be a whole another bubble followed by a burst, giving rise then to thoughts just as you stated above today.

Face it. Buy at the top of any bubble, and lose it in the burst, and it is gone forever---to the guys who got out early. No one who lost it is ever getting it back.