Behind the Numbers

"The majority of the time, the markets' best days are a few weeks or a month away from the good days," notes the Alpha Group's Mark Balasa. He also mentions that though the markets haven't been so choppy since 2001, most of his clients have had to deal with a similar economic state that we are currently facing. "Clients that have come in during this last year are the ones that are really concerned," he says. He does note that this situation is slightly different due to the housing market's involvement, which makes it more personal for people. "Psychologically, it's a bigger impact, so we try to meet with clients proactively and do more client communication and education." As for the rest of the quarter, Balasa believes it will be tough until fall. "By the fourth quarter, the markets will have bottomed and will recover, though," he concludes.