Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Dow Sets Record High, Tops 2007's All-Time High of 14,198.10

Stocks shot higher Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average topping its all-time high, propelled by a better-than-expected ISM non-manufacturing index, upbeat economic data from Europe and as China pledged to meet its growth targets. - CNBC ◼ Via Drudge

The Last Time The Dow Was Here... - Zerohedge

...we leave it to none other than Jim Cramer to sum up where we stand (oh and the following list of remarkable then-and-now macro, micro, and market variables): "we all know it's going to end badly, but in the meantime we can make some money..."

◼ Dow Jones Industrial Average: Then 14164.5; Now 14164.5
◼ Regular Gas Price: Then $2.75; Now $3.73 (higher in CA)
◼ GDP Growth: Then +2.5%; Now +1.6%
◼ Americans Unemployed (in Labor Force): Then 6.7 million; Now 13.2 million
◼ Americans On Food Stamps: Then 26.9 million; Now 47.69 million
◼ Size of Fed's Balance Sheet: Then $0.89 trillion; Now $3.01 trillion
◼ US Debt as a Percentage of GDP: Then ~38%; Now 74.2%
◼ US Deficit (LTM): Then $97 billion; Now $975.6 billion
◼ Total US Debt Oustanding: Then $9.008 trillion; Now $16.43 trillion
◼ US Household Debt: Then $13.5 trillion; Now 12.87 trillion
◼ Labor Force Particpation Rate: Then 65.8%; Now 63.6%
◼ Consumer Confidence: Then 99.5; Now 69.6
◼ S&P Rating of the US: Then AAA; Now AA+
◼ VIX: Then 17.5%; Now 14%
◼ 10 Year Treasury Yield: Then 4.64%; Now 1.89%
◼ EURUSD: Then 1.4145; Now 1.3050
◼ Gold: Then $748; Now $1583
◼ NYSE Average LTM Volume (per day): Then 1.3 billion shares; Now 545 million shares

Economic Optimism Plunges To 15-Month Low; 59% Say U.S. In Recession - IBD