Oil has not reached the bottom yet, the dow hasn’t reached the 6500 point mark yet, where is the real bottom?  Of course looking at 2008, this is not a bad time to buy stocks if you are looking long term.  But buying at the bottom and timing the market has always been a losing proposition.  When people wait for the bottom, they will always miss the timing and miss the big stock hikes when it does happen.  This recession will be different though.  We have multiple banks getting bailed out and companies getting funding through the stimulus.  It will take at least a few years to get out of this mess.  In 2006, multiple countries starting slowing their funding into the U.S. Treasury and putting their money into other countries.  China slowed down their funding and is now continuing to grow their domestic products.  Europeans are putting less money in the US banks and also are putting it into strong currencies such as the Swiss Franc.

We are not in any normal recession.  From my advisors, they have suggested we will have one more drop in the stock market.  It appears it will happen sometime this summer.  ARM loans will soon expire in April, more foreclosures, more bankruptcies, more people in the gutter.  Take your time, be patient, and if you do wish to invest, get into commodities such as gold and wait it out!