Advertisement
Singapore markets closed

  • Straits Times Index

    3,187.66
    +32.97 (+1.05%)
     

  • S&P 500

    5,022.21
    -29.20 (-0.58%)
     

  • Dow

    37,753.31
    -45.66 (-0.12%)
     

  • Nasdaq

    15,683.37
    -181.88 (-1.15%)
     

  • Bitcoin USD

    61,706.59
    -1,194.26 (-1.90%)
     

  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     

  • FTSE 100

    7,868.82
    +20.83 (+0.27%)
     

  • Gold

    2,397.90
    +9.50 (+0.40%)
     

  • Crude Oil

    81.78
    -0.91 (-1.10%)
     

  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.5850
    0.0000 (0.00%)
     

  • Nikkei

    38,079.70
    +117.90 (+0.31%)
     

  • Hang Seng

    16,385.87
    +134.03 (+0.82%)
     

  • FTSE Bursa Malaysia

    1,544.76
    +4.34 (+0.28%)
     

  • Jakarta Composite Index

    7,166.81
    +35.97 (+0.50%)
     

  • PSE Index

    6,523.19
    +73.15 (+1.13%)
     

Yes, You Can Time the Market. Find out How - December 18, 2019

Zacks Equity Research

There is no better feeling for an investor than trusting your gut or doing your research and timing the markets correctly, right?

Even among those who don't aspire to be the perfect market timer, many think they can call a top and act accordingly. It's at these times when investors choose to sit on the sidelines and wait for a 'perceived' better opportunity to invest in the market.

Lost chances by those who attempt to time the market is a common mistake among those who trade their own accounts. How many traders have lost investing opportunities by choosing to wait for the Auto-Tires-Trucks stocks to correct or reach attractive entry levels? Only for them to continue to move higher and achieve new all-time highs: Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. Unsponsored ADR (BCAUY), Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Unsponsored ADR (ASEKY), Auto Trader Group (ATDRY), American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (AXL), Gentherm Inc (THRM)

Dread and exuberance regularly propel investors into merely 'reacting' to market volatility, rather than envisioning market trends.

ADVERTISEMENT

Fruitful market timing requires three key parts: 1) A solid sign to guide you when to get in and out of stocks (or securities, gold or different kinds of investments). 2) The capacity to act on the sign accurately. 3) The control to follow up 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 attempt and time tops and bottoms.

Abandoning the objective to time the tops and bottoms conclusively gives you the flexibility to profit, and extends your chance to benefit from the equity markets over the long-term whether your specific market timing calls are right or wrong.

Rule 2: Make an effort not to sell in the midst of little crashes. Muster the courage to trust your gut and buy best in class stocks at a discount.

Warren Buffett has made his fortune based off this simple rule. He warns not to sell during small crashes, and weather the storm by focusing on the long term.

There is a major distinction between a financial crash and a mild market reset. If the companies you own are established and successful, they are likely to return to their pre - crash price before long, making holding on the wisest 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 just human that many surrender to emotions and attempt and game the framework 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. Indeed, even a slight outperformance most likely wouldn't justify the efforts - and given that even the specialists for the most part come up short at it, market timing shouldn't be your exclusive methodology for investing, particularly when it comes to building your retirement nest egg.

Actively trading for alpha, outsized, short - term gains through market timing and other high - risk trading strategies is fine with a small portion of your investable assets, but for your longer - term retirement assets, a "risk -adjusted focused" investment solution generally makes more sense.

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>>
 
Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. Unsponsored ADR (BCAUY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (AXL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Gentherm Inc (THRM) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Auto Trader Group (ATDRY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Unsponsored ADR (ASEKY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.