As stock markets tumble because of coronavirus, this time feels different

[Apollo Zeus]

1. many corporations were buying back their own stock throughout 2019

thus inflating their stock prices and pumping up their own exec compensation (eg stock options they can exercise).

Companies are on track to buy back another $940 billion of stock in 2019, according to Goldman Sachs. That would easily surpass the record buyback boom set off last year by President Donald Trump's corporate tax cut....

In an alarming development, companies are now returning more cash to shareholders than they are generating in free cash flow. It's the first time that has happened in the post-crisis period, according to Goldman Sachs.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/30/investing/stock-buybacks-debt-leverage/index.html

Damage is under way as someone has been buying these stocks on the way down.

Hopefully taxpayers don't get stuck bailing out Wall Street (eg, "socialism for rich, only&quot , again.