Dispelling Illusions of the Stock Market

How can you dispel an illusion unless you look directly at it? The magician distracts the eye with one hand while he does his manipulation with the other. You are looking in the wrong place and not seeing what is actually happening.

Wall Street has mastered this move even beyond the wildest dreams of Houdini. Investors have become so mesmerized by the smoke and mirrors that they believe the large brokerage houses are telling them the truth.

One of their master distractions has you believing that research is necessary to be able to pick a winning stock or mutual fund. All research is facts and figures which is nothing more than disinformation. Think. That long report by some analyst came from sources available to anyone and everyone, therefore, it is worthless. If everyone knows it then all that information is already reflected in the current price of the stock.

Just because you have information and it seems so good that doesn't mean the equity price is going to go up. Those beautiful pink, green and yellow tout sheets sent to you by some broker have you looking in the wrong place just as the magician does while he is picking your pocket. Sound familiar?

The annual report is a beautiful document. Slick paper and in full color, but those footnotes are hard to read. You know the old saying: "they give it to you in the big type and take it away in the small type". More of the magician's tricks. Did it occur to you that much of the content of the annual report is a year old? Is that going to tell you if the stock is going to go up tomorrow or next week?

Another distraction by the master magician is the prospectus. I have written these so I know how they can be manipulated. The most important thing to remember is they were not written for the investor. They are written so some Dilbert lawyer in his cubicle at the SEC in Washington will see that it meets all the regulations. There is practically no difference in the content of a winner and a loser.

So much of what comes out of Wall Street is sleight of hand and smoke and mirrors. You must stop and ask yourself, "Is knowing this going to make me any money?" In all likelihood it won't. Almost every analyst recommendation put out by brokerage companies is already ancient history and of no value. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Washington is now investigating allegations that analysts have become salesmen for their brokerage companies and are told not to issue negative reports on any company no matter how poorly they perform.

Become aware of the magician's tricks and watch out for that other hand he has in your pocket.

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

bathroom cleaning service Northbrook ..
In The News:

Data removal from brokers protects against AI-powered scams and deepfake threats in 2026. Learn how data brokers sell your personal information to scammers.
Learn how to act against cybercriminals in 2026 with essential security steps like two-factor authentication, software updates and credit freezing.
Choose between OpenAI releasing Sora text-to-video model, the AI race heating up, or Waymo driverless cars launching in cities across the country
Learn how to set up Google Maps and Apple Maps on your phone to automatically remember where you parked. Step-by-step instructions for enabling location services and parking detection.
Phishing scammers use rnicrosoft.com domain to impersonate Microsoft by replacing "m" with "rn" in typosquatting attacks that steal login credentials.
OpenAI announces new teen safety rules for ChatGPT users under 18, blocking romantic roleplay and requiring extra caution on body image topics.
A 2025 data breach at fintech company 700Credit exposes personal information of more than 5.8 million people through compromised third-party integration partner.
Retailers lose $76.5 billion annually to return fraud as nearly 10% of U.S. retail returns involve fraudulent activity, with $850 billion in returns expected in 2025.
ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.
ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.
Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.
DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.
Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.
The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.
New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.
Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.
New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.
Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.
Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.
New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.
The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.
San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.
FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Inverted Interest Rates

Inverted interest rates? What's that? Who cares? Even if you... Read More

Trading Stocks ?Never Forget About A Past Trade

We all know that emotions control every decision that an... Read More

The 10 Commandments

Wall Street has been preaching for years and years to... Read More

Planning Your Dive and Diving Your Plan ? Trading!

A colleague of mine just returned from a scuba diving... Read More

Time Out

Are you paying any attention to your retirement savings? Do... Read More

Mindset

In 1960 an engineer working for a watch company in... Read More

12 Basic Stock Investing Rules Every Successful Investor Should Follow

There are many important things you need to know to... Read More

Wall Street Paradigm

In 1960 an engineer working for a watch company in... Read More

Investment Research - The Dalbar Study

Very few people, even professionals, have heard of the Dalbar... Read More

Is Active Trading The Answer?

One of the main reasons many of us get into... Read More

Invest, Be Wrong, and Make Money in the Stock Market

I have been trading for several decades and was an... Read More

Pamplona, the Wild Investment Bulls

You remember (they show it on TV every year) the... Read More

Managing Investing and Stock Market Risks

Reduce your investing and stock market risks by:Setting your sights... Read More

Emotional Maturity

If you are going to be a winner in the... Read More

Stock Trading Diversification

This is the continuing story of our two imaginary traders,... Read More

Economists #2

Economists know more about how the fragments of society work... Read More

Chart Reading

As an investor you will want to check out any... Read More

How to Pay Less and Get More: Discount Broker vs Professional

How do you invest? What do you really pay? At... Read More

How to Make Big Money Safely in Stock Market

(1) Stock Market is Tough Place to Make Any Money... Read More

Protect Your 401K

Checked your 401K lately? Going back to about a year... Read More

Mutual Fund Ball and Chain

The broker told me not to sell because the mutual... Read More

Evaluation I

An insane person cannot evaluate an insane evaluation system.As you... Read More

Never Lose Money

Never lose money in the stock market again. Yeah, I... Read More

Enronization

Even if you don't own any of their stock or... Read More

Buy and Hold Investment Strategy

"Buy and hold" is one of the most heralded investment... Read More

insured cleaning company Wilmette ..