A standard way to investigate market valuation is to study the historic price-to-earnings ratio using reported earnings for the trailing twelve months.

Doug Short discusses the history of market valuations and how it suggests a cautious perspective.

Here is a new update of a popular market valuation method using the most recent Standard & Poor's "as reported" earnings and earnings estimates.

Let's take a look at the Four Bad Bears in U.S. history since the market peak in 1929.

Household net worth from the latest Flow of Funds report shows a distinct bubble in net worth that peaked in Q4 2007 with a trough in Q1 2009.

Student loans may be a liability on the consumer balance sheet, but they constitute an asset for Uncle Sam.

In the wake of the Financial Crisis, inflation has been low and the 10-year Treasury yield is hovering about 70 basis points above its historic closing low of 1.43 percent set on July 25, 2012.

The mystery, it seems, is how to explain the 25 percent decline in real (inflation-adjusted) out-of-pocket funding during the roaring '90s, when real household incomes actually rose.

The latest S&P 500 closing price is 16.6 percent above the last Independence Day but only 9.9 percent above July 4, 2000. The market performance in the intervening years has been a roller coaster of dizzying effect.

Over time, the Personal Consumption Expenditures component has shown the most consistent correlation with real GDP itself.

Thursday marked the third day of gains following Monday's selloff.

The extent to which global QE has inflated asset prices is a matter of debate. But in the rhythm of the market, we're probably due for a more substantial pullback than we've seen so far, taper or not.

Tensions were high before the market opened on Friday following the severe two-day selloff following the FOMC meeting and press conference on Wednesday.

Today nearly one in three of the 65-69 cohort and almost one in five of the 70-74 cohort are in the labor force.

The new high from last month is a conspicuous tick mark for the optimists, but the history of market valuations suggests a cautious perspective.

The U.S. benchmark index rose 0.85 percent to close at its intraday high on Thursday.

The S&P 500 is now up 16.40 percent for 2013 and 0.55 percent below the all-time closing high of May 21.

The S&P 500 closed the day with a fractional loss of 0.07 percent.

The S&P500 closed the day with a loss of 0.50 percent, breaking a four-day rally.

Today was a day-trader's delight, with opportunities in both directions and a 0.51 percent closing gain for the longer term investor.

The S&P 500 gained less than 0.01 percent to 1,633.7 to reach a record for the seventh time in eight days.

The Labor Force Participation Rate is a simple computation: take the Civilian Labor Force and divide it by the Civilian Noninstitutional Population.

The stocks staged yet another rally on Tuesday and closed at all-time highs.

Most U.S. stocks rose, with the S&P’s 500 extending its record level.

Market lore is full of monthly associations, but has May consistently been a poor performer when it comes to stocks, investing, and returns?

In a "normal" market environment -- one with normal business cycles, Federal Reserve policy, interest rates and inflation -- current valuation levels would be a serious concern.

Stocks rallied to new highs, giving the Dow industrials a taste of 15,000 and pushing the S&P 500 past 1,600.

Stocks rallied on Thursday, with the S&P 500 flirting with 1,600.

The S&P 500 fell at the open, recovered about half its loss, and then drifted to its -0.93 percent close.

The stock market overcame a morning slide to finish modestly higher, giving the S&P 500 index another record close and its sixth straight month of gains.