Wall Street has been preaching the doctrine of Buy and Hold forever. The worst part about it is the small investor (and some big ones) actually believe it. Brokers and financial planners believe it, but when you show them they can get a better return by timing the market they just say, "It can't be done". They are either lazy or stupid.
Most brokers have not learned their trade - investing. Webster says that means putting money into something (stocks) for the purpose of obtaining an income or profit. When people look at their brokerage statements these days they must wonder where their broker went to school. Investors could have done better with a dartboard.
Brokers are not taught to make money. They are taught all the regulations that come out of Washington that must be followed so the brokerage company will not be sued. To my knowledge none of them are taught the basic fundamentals of increasing customers' wealth or protecting the customers' capital from loss.
Brokerage houses hire people to do reports about companies. They call them analysts, but today those jobs have deteriorated into snow jobs to get people to buy stock in a particular company. When you read the report you will find it very professionally done with pretty pictures and graphs and charts. Wow! I'll buy that. And a few months later you will wish you hadn't. When you have a loss the standard reply is, "Don't worry. You are in for the long haul. The market always comes back". In your lifetime? Today there are hundreds of stocks that have lost 50% to 90% of their value and there is absolutely no hope they will ever recover those losses. But?.you are in for the long haul. You now have the Buy and Hold philosophy.
Why do so many people cling to this doctrine?
You have a stock you bought for $40 per share that went up to some profitable number and now is down below $10/share. You're out 75% of your money. You are waiting for it to go back up so you can get out "even" and I will tell you "even" is a loser.
Many years ago I heard a story about how they used to catch monkeys in Africa. A hole was made just big enough for the monkey to get his outstretched hand in a hollowed out coconut shell. Fruit and sweets were placed inside. The monkey put his hand in and gripped the goodies, but could not remove his clinched fist. It refused to let go even when the hunter came to put him in a cage. All the monkey had to do was let go of the candy and he could have escaped.
Many investors are the same way about the stock they bought. They won't let go. The investor does not want to admit he was wrong. You are not wrong until you sell - just broke. Small losses will not hurt you, but holding on can put you in the poverty cage. Buy and Hold conventional wisdom will break you. Learn to let go of the losers quickly and you will preserve your capital.
Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.
Copyright 2005
http://www.mutualfundmagic.com; 1-888-345-7870
no-contract cleaning service Glenview ..This is a rather simple strategy with which I am... Read More
If you've ever flipped on the television to CNN Financial... Read More
Picking a beaten-down stock requires a different kind of selection... Read More
If you're like many investors who squander those small dividend... Read More
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... Read More
Unfortunately, most of you who are reading my column are... Read More
Even if you don't own any of their stock or... Read More
It has been said that low cost or even free... Read More
On Monday, November 25, 2000 Investor's Business Daily listed on... Read More
Mutual fund investing is a lot like Thai cooking. Everyone... Read More
When purchasing mutual funds we are cautioned to read the... Read More
It takes a total mental commitment to the task. It... Read More
The big bad bear is stirring again. So far he... Read More
Yesterday I received my monthly issue of MONEY magazine. This... Read More
Question: How does it get better when it gets worse?Last... Read More
It looks like we have now entered a new bull... Read More
If you were to find that you had some severe... Read More
When it comes to stock market trading it PAYS to... Read More
One of the great "secrets" of successful people is discipline... Read More
Ever notice how behavior in one area of life can... Read More
What are you thinking when it comes to your no... Read More
The fight continues to rage among traders who use technical... Read More
The stock market has not been very kind to your... Read More
Every day I hear from the "experts" on CNBC-TV and... Read More
The stock market is very unstable at this time going... Read More
house cleaning company Glencoe ..In today's volatile and confusing stock markets everyone is searching... Read More
An investor can find and research the best stock on... Read More
Recently I was invited to appear on a live CNNfn... Read More
Being wrong is OK, but let's not carry it to... Read More
With all the bad news that has been dumped upon... Read More
Sometime around 1980, can't remember exactly, there was a flight... Read More
As an investor you will want to check out any... Read More
Inverted interest rates? What's that? Who cares? Even if you... Read More
You probably have been told that options are risky. Even... Read More
Regardless of the fact that the world's stock markets have... Read More
Invest in the stock market for the RIGHT reason, using... Read More
I was devastated!I just couldn't believe it. I was 10... Read More
How many people went to a cash position this week?... Read More
Unfortunately, most of you who are reading my column are... Read More
Picture one of those clubs where only the real heavyweights... Read More
Cat or dog? Maybe Zebra. Shucks, I don't know, but... Read More
Refuse is a serious issue in any society, about as... Read More
The big bad bear is stirring again. So far he... Read More
When you stand on the ocean shore and watch the... Read More
Sometimes the best way of lowering exposure to risk is... Read More
Before you buy another car you walk around the lot,... Read More
Hedge current portfolio positions and gain access to capital resources... Read More
As I said in Part I everyone in the insane... Read More
I cringe every time I hear a novice investor tell... Read More
When purchasing mutual funds we are cautioned to read the... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |