This is just a personal observation, but it seems as though a market correction is imminent.

Does anyone feel the same?

  • Where I am all prices seem to have tripled. Lunch is costing far more than it used to be. Food prices seem higher. The bars I frequent seem to have less people in them. Even watching the games today will most likely be half empty at locations I frequent.

  • Student debt at record highs.

  • Personal debts are exploding in my social networks

  • I have a wide array of friends from presidents of banks to union chiefs to blue collar tradesman. Work is down everywhere. Concerts, entertainment gigs, etc. I know several guys who haven't worked in months. When the working class, and the banking class both start acting nervous, my ears prick up.

  • If the market declines, layoffs are generally imminent, which of course just causes more of a problem. I know of some going off right now in the financial sector.

  • I was at the marina yesterday doing some boat nonsense and the restaurants and bars were bare, and the slips have been emptying out as people are selling their boats off.

Is it just a feeling? Like there isn't really an economic problem it's just people think there's one? Or is there actually going to be one? All my non-economic indicators seem to mean there's something happening. Most people I know (me included) have been moving a lot of money into safer protected investments and out of the more volatile equities.

It feels different than 2006 though, that was just runaway madness but I don't know how to read this one. Just seems to have that feeling you know? When there's something not right but you can't put your finger on it.

Nervous people usually sell their assets off during a panic. Boats, cars, bonds, houses, etc. Investment people start moving assets around.

Entertainment is usually a luxury that people first cut to make ends meet, and useless things like alcohol that they can do without.

I'm just seeing the high end and low end both withdrawing right now. Selling off things, not having work for enough income, mounting debts, entertainment venues disappearing, no one wasting money on frivolous fun.

Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I would seriously consider focusing on your income streams and minimizing as best you can. Now may not be the time to do stupid expensive things.

I just had to go a bail out a friend who pawned his guitars and amps. The pawn shop is charging 308% interest. Insanity.