Your Say: Stock market sags. What's up?

Companies are reporting negative profit outlooks for the fourth quarter. On Tuesday, the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 243 points. Comments from Facebook:

All the companies reporting lower revenues and forecasting lower profits indicates lack of demand in the economy. The biggest problem with the economy is low-paying jobs, if one has a job at all. People need to make more money. That would increase demand and give the economy a boost.

Michael Hale

If wages and income are stagnant or declining, that means the economy is stagnant or declining. The Federal Reserve is counting on increasing credit and debt to make up the difference. This is a lousy way to grow an economy. People are still paying off old debt. They can hardly take on new debt.

Even as hiring picks up, people are making less than their previous job. Lower wages equal lower income, which leads to lower spending and lower profits. Only increasing levels of debt can make up the difference.

Joe Gaffney

Unemployment finally shows signs of leveling off, and now earnings are down. Guess you can only save so much by cutting labor. The "virtuous cycle" remains an elusive goal.

John Thomas

The markets are reacting to the weakness of the economy. Millions are jobless. No amount of Democratic Party diversions will change that fact.

George Faros

The stock market is artificially inflated by QE3 and unfounded euphoria. How long it can avoid a reality check is the primary question.

Michael Shreve

What do you expect? The Dow Jones industrial average shouldn't be where it was. It should be about 11,000.

Don Howland