Since I can remember, and that's a long time ago, the Wall Street brokerage companies, mavens and mutual fund managers have been exhorting the mantra of Buy and Hold for all your investments. There have been erudite studies published that this is the only way to go.
Does it really work or has the little investor been lied to all these years. Of course, you know the answer if you have owned any stocks or funds for the past 3 years. From my analysis the latter is true. The big boys buy and sell all the time. If you look at the executives of companies it seems they all know when to sell ? right at the top before their own company stocks decline. This is easily proven, as the SEC requires all listed-company executives must report both buy and sell transactions. It is not the same as an "insider" sale, but it might as well be, as those guys know if the company is making or losing money. The past couple of years the preponderance of stock sales has been on the sell side.
These sales are easily understandable, but why do brokerage companies want you to buy and hold, especially hold? There are 2 reasons. First, they want to move inventory out of their ownership to you. That transfers the risk and now they have your money.
Even more important, when you HOLD there is less stock for sale, less "float" (fewer tradable issues), and that means it takes less money to manipulate that particular issue.
Also fund managers don't want you to sell their fund once you have bought it because they get paid on the amount of money in the fund not on the performance of the fund. This is a great rip off of the investor causing him to hold an asset that is worth less and less. Many of the large fund managers are paid 7 figure salaries. How can a so-called professional manager receive more than a million dollars to lose money for his clients? Yet, they do!
Buy and hold is a farce perpetrated on the small investor. There are 78 million mutual fund owners and 80% of them have less than $50,000 in their accounts. No one ever says SELL.
Here is one more fact you will not read in the financial media. Mutual funds only work during bull markets. The bull market that started in 1974 (some say 1982) definitely ended in 2000. The longer a bull market is in effect the longer is the bear market that follows and is usually about the same length of time. Scary, huh?! But true.
Now what? Buy and hold? The facts speak for themselves. If you are not a trader the safest place for your money during the next several years is in U.S. government bonds. They won't pay much, but you won't lose your money as this bear eats away at the stock market.
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.
1-888-345-7870; http://www.mutualfundmagic.com
How many times have you said to yourself, "I'd like... Read More
Yesterday I received my monthly issue of MONEY magazine. This... Read More
Among the largest forces that affect stock prices are inflation,... Read More
Just about everything you have been told about Social Security... Read More
We have two candidates for president that have really different... Read More
On Monday, November 25, 2000 Investor's Business Daily listed on... Read More
It is difficult to make money in a bull market,... Read More
One of the most believed bits of conventional wisdom from... Read More
There are major differences between trading stocks and trading futures.... Read More
For some "long term" would mean holding a stock position... Read More
When purchasing mutual funds we are cautioned to read the... Read More
You remember (they show it on TV every year) the... Read More
Ever have one of those sample boxes of candy? Each... Read More
When the stock market is going up and all your... Read More
It takes a total mental commitment to the task. It... Read More
Dollar cost averaging is one of the most popular ideas... Read More
If you haven't heard of the technical indicator with the... Read More
If you're a normal human being, your need to feel... Read More
When most analysts, financial planners, fund specialists and investors try... Read More
Professional stock options traders use the term lean to refer... Read More
Never lose money in the stock market again. Yeah, I... Read More
The Surgeon General of the United States says that smoking... Read More
Let's assume that you want to make some serious money... Read More
Every Wall Street analyst, financial planner and broker will tell... Read More
I am taking the time to help others learn the... Read More
licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..Day trading is all about making buy and sell decisions.... Read More
Peter is a professional trader, Paul is not. Peter has... Read More
If you don't know where you are going any road... Read More
One Saturday morning, while he was sitting at his computer... Read More
The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program... Read More
If you have been dealing with mutual funds for any... Read More
First let's see what protectionism is. According to Mr. Webster... Read More
Mutual funds were moderately successful in creating a presence in... Read More
I'll bet with almost anyone that has stocks or mutual... Read More
Every stock market investor faces one primal enemy. An enemy... Read More
When is a dividend not a dividend?The latest thing "conservative"... Read More
Alfred Winslow Jones started hedge funds in 1949. He was... Read More
The stock market often closes a week in the middle... Read More
Three little pigs went to the market to stock up... Read More
If you are fed up with early redemption charges and... Read More
How many times has this happened to you? You're at... Read More
This is the continuing story of our two imaginary traders,... Read More
Have you seen all those big full page ads for... Read More
If you have not back tested your trading system, you... Read More
You remember (they show it on TV every year) the... Read More
There is a famous cliff on the ocean in Acapulco... Read More
Before we get into all the good news out there,... Read More
It looks like the market is ready to start up... Read More
One of the things people are always asking me is... Read More
Most advisors will tell you they can beat the market.... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |