Investors just got another wake-up call on the bull market

From marketwatch.com

The bull market in stocks just lost a major support: Total margin debt on the NYSE is now in a distinct downtrend. Margin, of course, refers to what investors borrow from their brokers to purchase securities. The higher the number, the more bullish they are, owing to the fact that they pay interest to borrow the money. The New York Stock Exchange each month reports the total amount among member firms. Late last week, the NYSE released its data for January, and it’s that number that is so worrisome. It’s not that the raw numbers are alarming: The NYSE reported that total margin debt for January stood at $445 ... (full story)