That just isn't true. The only way 2017 looks that good is if you
only compare it to 2015, which was slow. But if you look at the the progress since about Spring 2009, then 2017 is more or less a continuation of the trend that had been in place for several years. 2018 is negative, and every day I resist selling because there have been times in the past when I've tried to bail out of a sinking ship only to bail out at the bottom and miss some of the recovery. Yet, every day is a new low.
I believe the numbers you posted, but your buddies are betting on volatility, not the long-term health of the market. Your HD returns this year are doing about as well as my LMT returns are, which is to say: