Here is a reminder of something we often forget.

I offer it because I tire of lazy journalists who say and write things like “The job figures released today sent stocks lower...” Or “The recession has slowed the overall growth of the stock market this year.”

And vice-versa: “Good news on consumer spending turned out to be good news for stocks…”

The reminder is that the economy and the stock market are not the same. And the health or malaise of the economy is not necessarily linked to the stock market.

We are conditioned to believe the two are closely linked. Conditioned by the media. Conditioned by conversations with friends: “Hey, in this economy, stocks have GOT to go up.”

And so we are often confused when the economy goes in one direction while stocks go in the opposite.

Stocks, of course, are pieces of big businesses. But I can illustrate my point by using a small business as an example.

Suppose you own a general store. Your business is healthy. You have made good profits the last several years. And now arrives…a lousy local economy. Local companies lay off workers. Some go out of business. Many of your customers are out of work. They spend less with you. Because they have less to spend.