The oil market as with the rest of commodities can't work itself out from the supply side, it must come from demand. The big question is if the world has and sizable amount of growth that can eat the excesses as well as Russia and Iran when they unload. Currently, China is experiencing downsides because exports are sinking and manufacturing is moving to SE Asia which are not tied to the US dollar.

If US growth is shown to be stalling it will mean a even bigger leg down for the whole market. Perhaps oil will not fall as heavily given its already sizable losses, but oil has a carrying cost and I think those holding it are realizing not only do they take commodity price losses on inventory, they also incur rising storage costs.

Sadly the way the Fed has directed this market, asides from stock and housing gains, it has decimated the aging wealthy. If housing and stocks melt down then it will certainly be a rocky time for the wealthy and those dependent on their spending.

The crash was more just like a selloff. Not that bad and little fear or fright. If this scares people too much they should lighten up on their holdings. Sadly, the market volume keeps aggregating to a fewer and fewer players making the market more and more unhealthy regardless of if the market rises or falls.

Please beware when your broker tells you to diversify and buy emerging markets. It seems like big players are trying to unload their positions and have been pounding the table to get investors into these markets. Historically emerging markets take the brunt of global selloffs as well as US cyclical downturns. Sometimes your broker is not acting in your best interest.

The crashes can only be comparatively measured in percentages. This drop was not that significant compared to other selloffs and any statement otherwise is rather inaccurate. In fact, there was very little indiscriminant selling and fear dumping at all. If this happens it will be much worse than this because increasingly the market activity in being drawn into a few big players hands which should make it much more volatile when shaken heavily, especially since the big guys are heavily invested in derivatives as well.

It is good to see gold holding up. Precious metals haven't been following production or actual use for years now.

Given increased scrutiny in the US and elsewhere about the pollution problems of mining, there is the possibility of higher costs and decreased mining over time, not because gold is not there, but due to regulatory effects. As for commodities prices, the sell off is getting ridiculous being driven by speculation about counties selling their hordes, people dumping due to liquidity, and unsubstantiated new shorting.

Long term investors should look into this sector if the price continues to decline along with gold and other precious and semi-precious metals.

A bit depressing but I understand the author's sentiment. Rather than stagnation the US has engaged in outright destruction. This has resulted in stagnation and needs reversing. TBTF banks need to be cut loose and shrunk preventing them from being de facto state banks. Fannie and Freddie need shrunk down and abolished. Not only are they the root of a lot of the tragedy of the last downturn, they are now bigger and a state run monopoly as they have destroyed regular players in the real estate loan market.

These things are ok if you're a socialist county trying to keep your county afloat as you deny capitalism. Are we really to that point? If so, God help us all.

Clearly their discussion about delaying raising rates didn't do much given no one with intelligence expected them to raise rates anyways. Jawboning doesn't work when you cry economic weakness every time rate increases are discussed and yell economic resurgence at all other times. The Federal Reserve is incompetent and captured by the very banks they are suppose to regulate.

Sadly, as has been shown the past 4 years, the Federal Reserve doesn't act on economics and has shown utter distain for Keynesian philosophies. This has left them incompetent and powerless to do much of anything when the next downturn comes because rates are still at zirp even though the economic cycle is ending.

Economists should be horrified at what they see as the US falls into Japan's QE nightmare.

Sadly, retail shopping is under attack by online for several reason including the inability for retail stores to customize and the inability for many of them to sell anything that can't be bought online usually cheaper. That said, the retail economy is suffering which is not unexpected since shipping, imports, and exports are falling.

You have to be as daft as the Federal Reserve to believe that the economy is taking off,. and I seriously doubt they believe the hype they are pushing. If they did, they would have raised interest rates long ago. Face it, we are in A Japanese style dead growth economy thanks to QE and zirp rates.