I love roller coasters. The steeper the better. High and fast and curvy. Yahoo! Let's go again. But to get to the drop off point you have a slow grind up.
Kinda reminds me of the stock market for the past 3 years. From 1982 to 2000 it was 18 years of up, up and away with very little down. From 2000 it was over the edge, down, down, down with few hints that we are going up. Recently, since October, there has been a respite and we have seen an advance of about 25%. Can we get back to the top? Gosh I hope so, but I have to remember this is a roller coast and it goes back to where it started. Oh, NO! That is OK for amusement rides, but in the stock market that is not amusing.
In the roller coaster I expect to be let off where I got on, but in the stock market I want to stay up near the top because if I don't I will lose my money and that is no fun at all. Is there any way I can protect my money when I am near the top and not give it back to go to the bottom where I have to start all over again?
The first thing you need to know is whether the stock market is going up or down. Despite what Wall Street tells you this is relatively easy to do. I know because I have been doing it for years. Here is one simple way and won't require any work on your part. In the Investor's Business Daily newspaper there is a Mutual Fund Index. When the price of the index is above the 200-day moving average the market is going up and you will want to be a buyer of stocks and mutual funds. What you buy is up to you. When the price of the index is below the 200-day line you should sell out of everything and be in cash, money market account or bonds. That simple. Anyone can do it.
One of the big Wall Street lies is that you cannot time the market. Wrong. If you don't believe it you can prove it to yourself by doing a historical study of what I have just said. Buy as many shares of the S&P500 Index as you can with $10,000 starting back in 1998 and sell the shares each time you have a penetration of the IBD Index. Buy and sell going back as many years as you like. Now compare the amount you have using this method with that same amount if you had just bought it and held it continuously.
I won't tell you, but you will be in for a shock. Buy and hold will show a loss while getting off the down roller coaster each time weakness occurred you would have protected your investments.
Roller coasters can be fun, but not in the stock market.
Al Thomas
Author of "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!"
Never lose money in the stock market again.
http://www.mutualfundmagic.com
no-contract cleaning service Mundelein ..Every day I hear from the "experts" on CNBC-TV and... Read More
I have been trading for several decades and was an... Read More
If you don't know what a Roth IRA is then... Read More
Several times each month I am solicited by various market... Read More
"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action!" Johann... Read More
The following are a list of nine things you want... Read More
Congress recently passed another new law that is supposed to... Read More
Minority Report the movie may not be far off if... Read More
Reduce your investing and stock market risks by:Setting your sights... Read More
I don't know what kind it is, but I saw... Read More
Ever jumped out of an airplane? It's OK if you... Read More
Trading is a fascinating activity.There are so many layers to... Read More
The basis of diminishing return discussions surround such simple notions;... Read More
Day trading is all about making buy and sell decisions.... Read More
∙ Make every investment in the stock market a long-term... Read More
Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are growing. Investors are choosing low... Read More
The thinking process of the brain relating to the... Read More
For some "long term" would mean holding a stock position... Read More
It has often been said that there is only two... Read More
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... Read More
The stock market has not been very kind to your... Read More
For the year 2000 we have seen hundreds of mutual... Read More
There is a current movie entitled "Eternal Sunshine of the... Read More
Most people think the stock market is a zero sum... Read More
If you go to Haiti or other places in the... Read More
maid service near Glenview ..Trading is a fascinating activity.There are so many layers to... Read More
When it comes to 401k's there is an overabundance of... Read More
One of the basic laws of physics states that a... Read More
Time to look back2004 is over, now we are in... Read More
I am taking the time to help others learn the... Read More
Two weeks ago I wrote about what the Securities and... Read More
You remember (they show it on TV every year) the... Read More
You may have wondered why your mutual funds have been... Read More
If you are going to be a winner in the... Read More
I would like to share with the reader an article... Read More
During our travel down life's path we come to many... Read More
Suppose your position has made a big move and you... Read More
A 'stock option' is a contract between two parties giving... Read More
When most analysts, financial planners, fund specialists and investors try... Read More
Wall Street has been preaching the doctrine of Buy and... Read More
If you have not back tested your trading system, you... Read More
The World Bank claims that some two billion of the... Read More
After the publication of the first part of this two... Read More
(1) Stock Market is Tough Place to Make Any Money... Read More
Four blind men were asked to give a description of... Read More
Most people think the stock market is a zero sum... Read More
Alfred Winslow Jones started hedge funds in 1949. He was... Read More
There are many good penny stock investments available, which could... Read More
I am sure that if you have a brokerage account... Read More
A PEG ratio cannot be used alone but is a... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |