I have been investing for over 30 years. I have a passion for studying the markets and paying attention to the economy and market cycles. Over 30 years I have personally experienced the best bull markets and bear markets of the past 75 years. If there is one thing I have learned, there is NO reason to be bullish (long the stock market) 100% of the time, and there is No reason to be bearish 100% of the time. I have my own indicators which tell me when it's time to be Bullish and when to be Bearish. During Bullish times in the market I am very aggressive with my investments in an effort to maximize my returns. I often use Leveraged ETF's and I watch these very closely as I understand the risks if they are going down. I trade often and never hold these for long periods of time. On the flip side, I also enjoy using leveraged inverse ETF's during Bear Markets as Fear will often cause the market to drop twice as fast as it rose. These drops in market value provide tremendous opportunities to smart people who are paying attention and these leveraged inverse ETF's have allowed me in 2022 to have a positive portfolio YTD return during a year when Nasdaq is down over 20% and many bond categories are down almost 10%. I DO NOT need regulators to try to tell me what is best for my portfolio and how to invest my own money. I have studied very hard over the years to understand the markets and I am fully aware of any risks involved when I invest MY OWN MONEY! I and I alone should have the right to choose the investments that are best for my accounts. By taking these choices out of the hands of the public, you are NOT protecting us, you are taking away our freedoms and our incentive to study and learn so we can create wealth and enjoy the freedoms that this country was built on! I am surprised that people are allowed to blow up their accounts by trading options and nobody is stepping in to hold their hand. These leveraged ETF's do not expire worthless at the end of the week, and if used properly, can be very beneficial as a way to hedge away portfolio risk or to profit from market moves, regardless of the direction of the market move. Please allow me the freedom to invest and live my life according to my own wishes. Stop trying to control other people as most of us don't need to be told how to live our life! Thank You.
Robert Barber Comment On Regulatory Notice 22-08
I have been investing for over 30 years. I have a passion for studying the markets and paying attention to the economy and market cycles. Over 30 years I have personally experienced the best bull markets and bear markets of the past 75 years. If there is one thing I have learned, there is NO reason to be bullish (long the stock market) 100% of the time, and there is No reason to be bearish 100% of the time. I have my own indicators which tell me when it's time to be Bullish and when to be Bearish. During Bullish times in the market I am very aggressive with my investments in an effort to maximize my returns. I often use Leveraged ETF's and I watch these very closely as I understand the risks if they are going down. I trade often and never hold these for long periods of time. On the flip side, I also enjoy using leveraged inverse ETF's during Bear Markets as Fear will often cause the market to drop twice as fast as it rose. These drops in market value provide tremendous opportunities to smart people who are paying attention and these leveraged inverse ETF's have allowed me in 2022 to have a positive portfolio YTD return during a year when Nasdaq is down over 20% and many bond categories are down almost 10%. I DO NOT need regulators to try to tell me what is best for my portfolio and how to invest my own money. I have studied very hard over the years to understand the markets and I am fully aware of any risks involved when I invest MY OWN MONEY! I and I alone should have the right to choose the investments that are best for my accounts. By taking these choices out of the hands of the public, you are NOT protecting us, you are taking away our freedoms and our incentive to study and learn so we can create wealth and enjoy the freedoms that this country was built on! I am surprised that people are allowed to blow up their accounts by trading options and nobody is stepping in to hold their hand. These leveraged ETF's do not expire worthless at the end of the week, and if used properly, can be very beneficial as a way to hedge away portfolio risk or to profit from market moves, regardless of the direction of the market move. Please allow me the freedom to invest and live my life according to my own wishes. Stop trying to control other people as most of us don't need to be told how to live our life! Thank You.