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Author Topic: 4 Year Cycle
Michael

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Post 4 Year Cycle
on: June 22, 2012, 05:17
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Hello Walter

What is your current perspective on the 4 year cycle. So far, at least, the NYSE Composite Index is lagging behind the Dow, NASDAQ 100 and S&P500. Your thoughts?

Thanks!

Michael
6/21/12

Walter-
Deemer
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Post Re: 4 Year Cycle
on: June 22, 2012, 21:11
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The Four-Year Cycle, in my opinion, is very much on track here. The last Four-Year Cycle bottom was in the first quarter of 2009. Most global stock markets, including most European markets and most emerging markets, topped our in Year Two (2011) – which is “normal”. In addition a few of the weakest ones, including Japan, China, Italy and Spain, peaked in 2010 and have remained weak ever since – which is also “normal”.

The U. S. market, though, was an outlier, not peaking until Year Three: 2012. This, I think, is giving American investors a false impression of the Four-Year Cycle; looking at, say, the EAFE (Europe and Far East) index will give you a much more accurate picture.

I think, then, that the Four-Year Cycle is alive and well and is functioning relatively normally. This suggests that stock prices are likely to be generally – generally – under pressure until sometime next year.

Caveat: If the Fed or Europeans start printing money like crazy all bets are off – for the time being.

-- Walter Deemer

Michael

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Post Re: 4 Year Cycle
on: June 22, 2012, 21:57
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Interestingly, I've always focused on the US markets...with emphasis on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index...BUT...

Your input relative to looking at "the global markets" certainly brings clarity to interpretation of where we currently are in the 4 year cycle. I'll definitely include this approach in my tool box going forward.

You've broadened my perspective! This is just another example of what one can learn from exchanging dialogue with a veteran master technician. This is great!

Thanks very much for the valuable insight Walter!

Michael

colinabr

Posts: 4
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Post Re: 4 Year Cycle
on: July 9, 2012, 13:18
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Hi Walter

I just finished reading your book last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you. its a plasure to read something from someone with many decades of experience in the field.

An interesting thought occured to me when looking at your chart of the 4 year cycle. In fact tis so simple and obvious I dont know why I never thought of it before. From a long-term term investing point of view, one should look to buy agressuvely when the 4 year cycle makes a bottom (confirmed with some basic techncials) and then look ot selll (exit) after 2-3 years (again confirmed with some basic technical studies). Then simply to sit on the sideliens until the 4 year cycle bottoms again.

Obviuoly its not an exact science by any means (gettign the 4 year bottom), but to me this seems like a strategy that is very worthy of looking into and using. I'd appreciate if you have any thoughts/comments on this idea.

Regards

Colin

Walter-
Deemer
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Post Re: 4 Year Cycle
on: July 9, 2012, 13:35
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Your idea sums up what is probably the single best long-term investing strategy of them all; I haven't run the numbers, but I'm sure that buying four-year cycle lows and selling 2-3 years later beats buy-and-hold by a huge margin.

The problem, of course, is knowing exactly when the four-year cycle makes its bottom, as we learned in October 2008 (~850 in the S&P), November 2008 (~750) and March 2009 (~666) during the market's all-too-typically volatile and emotional bottoming process which makes calling THE bottom extremely difficult. In addition, some markets top out before they reach the 2-3 year mark (as China and Italy did this time). Nobody said investing was going to be easy...

-- Walter Deemer

colinabr

Posts: 4
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Post Re: 4 Year Cycle
on: July 9, 2012, 16:36
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Yes, I guess that why one needs some basic technical indicators eg trendlines, reversal weeks/months etc to help confirm. I guess one approach is to start buying is say thirds once the 4 year bottom time mark is reached and buy another third etc if t continues dropping. one probably cant go too far wrong then.

But based on your reply - is there then a 4 year cycle in all the main stock markets around the world? ( I guess they all basically follow the US).

Thanks.

Walter-
Deemer
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Post Re: 4 Year Cycle
on: July 10, 2012, 11:38
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...is there then a 4 year cycle in all the main stock markets around the world?

Absolutely!

From an e-mail I got last week from a friend in China who has studied the Chinese stock market very intensively:

"There is a four year circle [cycle] in China stock market just like the four year circle in US stock markets which is made clear in your book."

Remember also that the Four-Year Cycle is *not* an economic cycle -- it is a behavioral cycle; human behavior is the same the world over...

Walter Deemer

colinabr

Posts: 4
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Post Re: 4 Year Cycle
on: July 10, 2012, 16:01
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Interesting. Thank you.

BTW, I thought I'd let you know, referrring to your page in the book of a $25 000 ZIM note: I live in South Africa, and our domestic cleaner is from zimbabwe. Today she brought me a $100 Billion Zim dollar note.!! Hard to believe. She says she'll try find me a 'trillion' dollar note. Will be happy to scan you a copy if you like.

(Interestingly in 1980, before the change of govt there, the Zim$ was stronger than hte USD.

Regards
Colin

Walter-
Deemer
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Posts: 33
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Post Re: 4 Year Cycle
on: July 19, 2012, 12:22
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I don't usually post the commentaries I still write from time to time, mainly for legal reasons, but this one from July 13th updates and expands the discussion of the Four-Year Cycle in the book so I'm making an exception. It's entitled "Think About The Risk - Please" and you can read it here: http://walterdeemer.com/071312A.pdf

-- Walter Deemer

colinabr

Posts: 4
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Post Re: 4 Year Cycle
on: July 23, 2012, 18:14
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Thank you for the commentary.

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