Retirement accounts dipping, analysts say

BOSTON, July 6 (UPI) -- When millions of U.S. investors open their second-quarter retirement account statements soon they might be disappointed with their dividends, analysts say.

Most investors will find their stock and bond funds in 401(k) and individual retirement accounts sank between April and June amid skyrocketing fuel prices and a slowing economy, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.

"I open it when I get the statement and weep," said Joyce Kauffman, 58, a lawyer from Roslindale, Mass. "I keep putting money in, and I'm not getting anywhere."

That reaction is no surprise to psychologist Michael Cirillo, who has an interest in investor behavior.

"Anxiety and avoidance go hand in hand," he said. "It's probably a coping mechanism, though not necessarily a sound one," Cirillo said.

The Dow average plunged by 7.4 percent for the second quarter, the Standard & Poor's 500 slid by 3.2 percent, domestic-stock mutual funds sank by 9.7 percent on average, and foreign-stock funds declined by 11.9 percent on average.

Among the very few bright spots in the markets were tech stocks, with the Nasdaq gaining 0.6 percent gain for the quarter.

"People are paying more attention, and need a little more reassurance," said Stuart Ritter, a certified financial planner for T. Rowe Price, an investment firm.