War sends markets into ups and downs

The outbreak of Gulf War Two has sent stock prices on a wild ride, leaving many Iowa investors skittish. Chris Connelly, a stock broker with A-G Edwards in Mason City, says the uncertainties of war make it hard to predict where the stock market will head next. Connelly says long term prospects of stock market improvements are “pretty good” as we watch how things develop in Iraq and how long the U-S is committed to having people and resources there. He says whether or not this is a good time to invest depends upon what you want to do with your money.A short-term investment of two years or less would present a real challenge to create a financial plan that doesn’t carry a lot of uncertainty, but Connelly says a three-to-five-year investment might offer them a better opportunity. Connelly says as the war with Iraq progresses, consumer confidence could rise as long as things go well in the Middle East. The Dow Jones Industrial Average went up eight-percent last week only to fall by over 300 points on Monday. The Dow jumped back up more than 65 points yesterday.