Voices

A sampling of comments from financial analysts and individual investors:

“I am hard-pressed to find any sector that I am comfortable with. The worst is not over and the [Dow Jones] average may fall to 7,400 in the next few weeks.”

Edward Yardeni

Chief economist with Deutsche Bank Securities

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“I think we are having a frantic exit from equity markets across the world. People are concerned and they are raising cash.”

Michael Metz

Managing director at CIBC Oppenheimer

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“If you need to earn money to put milk on the table, don’t invest in stocks--get a job.”

Leisel Friedrich

Santa Monica resident

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“You’ve got lots of good companies like Coke and Best Foods with pretty heavy investments longer-term in Latin America, [and] Latin America’s problems are serious.”

Jeffrey Davis

Chief investment strategist at State Street Global Advisors

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“Bad markets are even less rational than good markets. Investors are still going to buy mutual funds. They’re still going to save money in their 401(k) plans. . . . This too will pass.’

Ralph Wanger

President of Wanger Asset Management

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“In the U.S., people are hoping for a climactic sell-off to clear the air, but I think it’s going to be a long process.”

Michael Clark

Head of equity trading at Credit Suisse First Boston

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“Winter in Russia starts in September. Coming winter, there is no food, fuel and funds. This will be a problem for the rest of the world. The banks cannot afford to lend. You cannot put food on the table fishing in the Dead Sea.”

Post from “By Volume”

Yahoo Finance’s J.P. Morgan & Co. message board

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“It doesn’t make me sweat at all. Over the long period of time, it’s going to go up. . . . I just wish I had more money to put in now to capitalize on the downturn.”

John Lampe

Denver resident

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“It’s all about Russia. There was no good news that [Russia was] going to do something to fix the situation.”

Michael Lyons

Chief dealer at Morgan Stanley, Dean Witter

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“The Fed is not going to let the U.S. slip into recession. [The] combination of lower rates and even just modestly rising earnings should move stocks to new highs.”

Ed Kerschner

PaineWebber strategist

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“The big issue is if Russia defaults on its debts, that hurts European financial institutions.”

Tony Dwyer

Chief equity strategist at Ladenburg Thalmann

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“Somebody make the pain stop.”

Anonymous

Yahoo’s Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette message board