stock market applause

I've never understood why at the closing bell 4-6 market folks stand around while another bloke presses a button sounding the closing bell on the days trading and applaud. Are they clapping because they've screwed more people out of their lifes savings? Why don't we get to applaud when our day ends.

was when the wheels of the plane touched the ground after a white knuckle flight through a massive storm system.

I think they're all applauding because they're so damn glad another day is done.

You do understand what the floor traders do, right? They trade stocks, they do not screw people out of anything. The provide liquidity and facilitate trades. They are not involved in marketing investments to individuals. They earn their money believe it or not.

As a sort of common working guy who purhcased stocks on his own in a very small way all his lift I can say that it is the thing that allowed me to retire at 57. Savings doesn't mean a savings account and it doesn't have to mean an IRA either. Regular investment in the means of production never failed anyone.

those folks standing at the podium aren't floor traders.

What makes you think the goings on in the stock market are aimed at 'screwing' people?

The real answer is that it's a traditional ceremony.

the usa is running massive deficits, it's stuck in a crazy war which will almost certainly inspire enemies to do literally anything minds can imagine in order to cause harm to it, yet stock markets gains thousands of points....the prez is a provable crook who, even if he goes away, has destroyed whstever reputation the usa had, yet stock market is winwin win some more!...global warming is provably getting worse, the danger to future isn't even calculated, though universally feared, yet stock market goes up like there's no tomorrow....millions of jobs lost, the gap between rich and poor growing, oil probably on permanent diminishing returns, yet stock market gains value....no wonder bush is still in office!

the only people making money are in the stockmarket. Everyday I see the headlines about massive deficits, the rise in gas prices and the lack of healthcare. Who's making all that money?, it isn't us folks down in the middle or the bottom. So if I'm a bit cynical it's only because the only smiling faces I see are on the folks at the top and they're reflected by the clapping clowns at the NYSE who in the name of making a profit are "screwing" us our of our money and in some respects our next generation.

And conservatism says make all the money you can for you and your family.