As I type the Dow is up over 200 points on the morning. The headlines suggest that supportive comments from world central bank officials (money-printers R us), a spike in existing home prices and a surge in consumer confidence has inspired willingness in buyers and stinginess in sellers. Makes sense (given how short-term traders think) to me.

Now, while you’ll love your monthly statement if this keeps up, the price of stocks—that you happen to hold—agreed on by the final buyers and sellers of the day on May 31 is too fleeting a phenomenon to be getting all giddy about.

Thus, the whims of short-term traders will never be the focus for you—the savvy long-term investor. The market for stocks itself is not deserving of your affection. The marketplace—where goods and services are produced and sold—however, is. As I continue to preach, you own

Apple because you and/or oodles of people you know own an iPhone.
Google because you google.
Disney because you like movies, etc.
McDonald’s because you see the traffic at their drive-thru windows.
Starbucks because you (and/or) love their coffee.
Lowe’s because you own a house.
Exxon Mobil because you drive.
Boeing because you fly.
Monsanto because you eat.
Many, if not all, of the remaining 286 companies featured in the IShares S&P 500 Growth Index ETF because you believe they will continue to produce goods that others who produce goods—or who contribute to the production of goods (or services)—will want to buy.

In other words, you own companies because you believe in capitalism…