Let's face it -- 2009 was an extremely bizarre year on the investing landscape. More than once, reality itself seemed to become a major competitor to satirical Web site The Onion.
Let's ponder some of the high strangeness that marked 2009:
- Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) sued itself.
- Investors enthusiastically traded shares of bankrupt and defunct companies like Lehman Brothers and "old GM," apparently unable to understand the actual meanings of the words "bankrupt" or "defunct." (Look 'em up!)
- Fearing mobs of angry taxpayers, several Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) executives supposedly loaded up on the likes of Smith & Wesson (NASDAQ:SWHC). Not the stock, mind you -- actual firearms.
- Speaking of Goldman, what was that comment about doing "God's work"? Egotistical much, guys?
- Executives at firms that would have failed without government intervention whined about pay restrictions. Yes, we're looking at you, AIG (NYSE:AIG).
- Piles of public money poured into the seemingly bottomless pits of corporate America. As we speak, GMAC is triple-dipping into Uncle Sam's pocket, to the tune of $3.8 billion.
- And how about Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM) and Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) going all Oliver Twisted? Far from impoverished orphans, these two have become something more shameful.
- Even I got pretty paranoid for a while. I'm still not convinced my fears were unfounded, and given continued serious issues like our nation's debt and deficit, I still wonder whether another shoe will drop. For now, though, I'm grateful we didn't have to go all Mad Max. Things were plenty weird enough, and I don’t have my post-apocalyptic wardrobe ready yet.
- And lastly, droves of Sirius XM (NASDAQ:SIRI) shareholders completely freaked at any whiff of negative opinion on their stock. Oh, wait -- that's not unusual at all.
At some point, things get so strange that you start to tune them out. I'm pretty sure my recollections have left out some really primo moments, so I'm turning this over to you. Share your strangest moments of 2009 in the comments box below. And here's hoping for a lot less weirdness in 2010! Happy New Year, Fools.
