[speaker001:] Dad, I 'd like to borrow some money.
[speaker002:] Sure, Johnny, how much do you need? five bucks?
[speaker001:] Come on, Dad, I need thirty thousand. I wanna get into the market. You know, I 'm tired of hearing all this news about the economic downturn, the inevitable recession, people stuffing their money in their mattresses. I look at this as an opportunity. This is a chance for me to get a jump start on building my nest egg.
[speaker002:] I don 't know about that.with all the uncertainty in the markets right now, it would be a very unwise decision to invest. I don 't know if you 're aware son, but there has been a lot of turmoil in the markets recently. There have already been half a million layoffs in the last few months, and we have no idea how the proposed stimulus package will impact the economy. There 's just too much instability. I wouldn 't feel comfortable investing in this climate.
[speaker001:] But look at it this way, every challenge is an opportunity.And anyway, I 'm not talking about investing in the domestic market. There are emerging markets that promise great returns. Look at China, for example.they have 1.4 billion people, half a billion of whom have recently entered the middle class. Here alone, the aggregate demand for consumer goods represents an amazing wealth generating opportunity.
[speaker002:] Come on, son, you 're looking at this too naively, the Chinese market has exhibited a great deal of instability, and their currency has been devalued by almost a whole percentage point.
[speaker001:] Fine, then! If that 's the way you feel, so be it. But you 're losing out on a great opportunity here. I 'm going to go hit up Mum for the cash.