Simple Market Timing Strategies That Work - August 10, 2020
There is no better feeling for an investor than trusting your gut or doing your research and timing the markets correctly, right?
In fact, even among long-term investors who don't attempt to time the markets, being able to call the top of the market is a skill that many think they possess. This misguided confidence is often driving investors to sit on the sidelines and wait it out for better market opportunities.
Missed investing opportunities by exiting at the first sign of trouble is a common pattern among many self-directed investors. Case in point: How many investors have missed huge opportunities waiting for the Consumer Discretionary stocks listed below to correct, only to see them reach new highs, climb higher and drive the bull market to record levels: Sleep Number Corporation (SNBR), PlayAGS, Inc. (AGS), Choice Hotels International, Inc. (CHH), Adidas AG (ADDYY), Afya Limited (AFYA)
Dread and exuberance regularly propel investors into merely 'reacting' to market volatility, rather than envisioning market trends.
Successful market timing requires three key ingredients: 1) A reliable signal to tell you when to get in and out of stocks (or bonds, gold or other types of investments). 2) The ability to interpret the signal correctly. 3) The discipline to act on it.
Many investors think of market timing success as a win or lose proposition. But there is a less notable, rather straightforward, successful market timing approach that has been utilized effectively time after time by astute investors like Warren Buffet.
Rule 1: Never try and time tops and bottoms.
Forget tracking for market tops or bottoms to expand your odds for success with a longer timeline and give yourself the flexibility to eventually profit, regardless of whether your calls are spot-on or way off-base.
Rule 2: Don't sell during small crashes - ride the storm out, or better yet, take advantage of the opportunity.
Warren Buffett has made a great part of his fortune due to this simple rule. He cautions not to sell amid little crashes and to instead endure the temporary hardship and profit by concentrating on the long haul.
There is a noteworthy distinction between a complete market meltdown and a common 10% market correction. If you own shares of a company that is well - established and has strong fundamentals, they are probably going to rebound to their pre - crash prices eventually, thereby rendering holding on a wise decision. Warren Buffett takes this thought one step further by often buying outsized positions in value stocks he likes across the board when markets turn, essentially leveraging his bottoms-up analysis and stock picking acumen.
When It Comes to Trading Your Retirement, A Risk Adjusted Trading Strategy Should be Followed
It's only human that many succumb to greed and try and game the system by timing the market. But consider this: Nobel Laureate William Sharpe found in 1975 that a market timer would have to be accurate 74% of the time to beat a passive portfolio. Even a slight outperformance probably wouldn't be worth the energy - and given that even the experts generally fail at it, market timing shouldn't be your exclusive investing strategy of choice, especially using assets earmarked for your retirement.
Chasing alpha, outsized, short - term returns through market timing and other high - risk bets is acceptable only within a small part of your investable resources, however for your long - term retirement assets a 'risk-adjusted' investment discipline is what largely bodes well.
If you'd like to learn how to 'super-charge' your retirement assets, get our free report:
Will You Retire as a Multi-Millionaire? 7 Things You Can Do Now.
This report can help you maximize your retirement nest-egg without the high risk of attempting to successfully time the markets. Click here for free report>>
Sleep Number Corporation (SNBR) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (CHH) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Adidas AG (ADDYY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
PlayAGS, Inc. (AGS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Afya Limited (AFYA) : Free Stock Analysis Report
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Zacks Investment Research
