Ben Bernanke on housing bubble talk (2005)

Well, unquestionably housing prices are going up quite a bit, but I would note that the fundamentals are very strong – a growing economy, jobs, incomes . . . much of what has happened [with home prices] was supported by the strength of the economy.

~ Ben Bernanke, CNBC, July 2005

San Francisco Fed President: Stocks are not overvalued

If you look at the valuation of stocks today compared to earnings and dividends and relative to historical averages, it’s not obvious that the stock market is overvalued, in fact a lot of models will tell you that it’s undervalued given how strong profits have been.

~ John Williams, president, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, November 5, 2013

(Comments made in a press roundtable following the Asia Economic Policy Conference.)

Brian Belski: "Bull market in its early stages"

This secular bull market remains in its very early stages.

~ Brian Belski, as appeared on CNBC, October 22, 2013

Ralph Acampora sees bull market lasting another 10-15 years

This is a secular bull [market] that has at least another 10 to 15 years to run.

~ Ralph Acampora, as appeared on CNBC, October 21, 2013

Wells Fargo strategist Gina Martin Adams refuses to join "1700 Club"

Obviously, we are all herd-like creatures, and everyone likes to feel good in a group.  But I am out of the group right now.  That is why I have models, so I don't get caught up in the human reaction.

~ Gina Martin Adams, equity strategist, Wells Fargo Securities, "1700 Club Keeps Growing: Several top strategists expect S&P 500 to top mark this year," USA Today, August 8, 2013

(Seven strategists now expect the S&P 500 to top 1700 by the end of the year, up from none at the beginning of the year.)

Barry Ritholz: "We don't really care about the stuff that's going on in D.C."

Earnings are at a very high cyclical level.  And if we do anything to damage that, you risk a 20% to 30% correction in the market if this [government shutdown] goes on for a month or longer,

All the U.S. obligations are money good.  [The Treasury Department could continue to] move stuff around [to temporarily avoid hitting the limit.]

We really don’t care about any of the stuff that’s going on in D.C.  Our view is as long as this is resolved in a week or three, it’ll be okay.  [Late into the third week of a shutdown, the firm would look at hedges and lightening up.]

~ Barry Ritholtz, "A one-month shutdown risks triggering 20% to 30% correction: Barry Ritholtz," The Tell blog (MarketWatch), October 7, 2013

President Obama on Ben Bernanke and Fed policy

They're going to be making sure that they keep an eye on inflation, that they're not encouraging some of the bubbles that we've seen in our economy that have resulted in busts.

~President Obama, Reuters, Oct 2, 2013