"Honey, when does that orb ever glow anything but orange?"
This is how my wife entered my home office this morning. She was referring to my Ambient Orb, a gift she gave me years ago to make my office a little more colorful.
The orb is linked to the daily change in the S&P 500 index. If the index is up at least 3% or so, the orb starts glowing green. Down at least 3% and the orb glows red. It's dynamic, so the stronger the percent change, the deeper it glows green or red. Up or down less than 3% and the orb stays a neutral orange.
I distinctly remember some days in late 2008 when that orb glowed so red I was fairly certain it was going to burn a hole in my table, then the floor, then arrive unceremoniously in the office directly below mine!
I found it a great piece of anecdotal evidence that my wife (astute investor that she is) picked up on the lower volatility these days with the visual cue of the orange orb.
As my friend Charlie Kirkpatrick often reminded me, volatility is not risk. Volatility is opportunity.
I'll let you know when my office transitions from Halloween color to Christmas colors, which will tell me that the volatility has returned!
RR#6,
Dave
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