Key Points Margin debt is hitting record highs and growing at a pace not seen since 1999 and 2007. High levels of margin in the market can worsen natural downturns. 10 stocks we like better than S&P 500 Index › Imagine it's 1999, and markets are hitting high after high. The dot-com boom is in full swing, and investors are euphoric seeing the value of their portfolios soar. For many, the advent of the internet meant that "it was different this time" -- technology stocks seemed like they would never ...