Cramer's 'Mad Money' Recap: April 29

Stock quotes in this article: GLD , AEM , PNRA , GME , COP , BP  

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While the bears may be looking for any excuse to take the markets lower, Jim Cramer told the viewers of his "Mad Money" TV show Wednesday that comparisons to Japan's economic worries over the last decade should not be one of them.

Cramer said any comparison of the U.S. stock market to that of Japan's Nikkei average, which fell 82% from 1989 to 2008, is just ludicrous. The fact is, he said, we are very different from Japan and are not repeating the same mistakes they made in the 1990's.

According to Cramer, today's top line GDP number was not as important as its underlying trends. Consumer spending increased by 2.2% in the quarter, indicating that the U.S. is still spending. That was not the case in Japan, where spending virtually stopped.

Japan also saved their banks, even the toxic ones, noted Cramer, while here in the U.S., Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is forcing banks to eat their losses.

In addition, there are major differences between the two countries, he said.

One notable difference is population. Between 1980 and 2008, the Japanese population grew only 8% and is expected to begin declining soon, he said. During that period, the U.S., population grew by 34%, spurring spending and economic growth.

Japan is also an older nation, with an average age of 44, versus 36 in the U.S., he said

"Stop comparing," Cramer told viewers, adding the decade of economic stagnation is not happening here.

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