More Crazy News Headlines, More Confusing Data, More Personal Bias, More Buy, Sell, Buy Sell…Why You Need an Investment Strategy and Why You need to Follow It to WIN!
Just another week. Equity markets down, up, down. Non-stop news. No predictability, but lots of personal bias and personal opinions from Wall Street talking Heads:
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stocks closed their worst two-week slide since November with a selloff on Friday as disappointing China growth data sparked worries the global recovery was flagging. Concerns that Europe’s debt crisis was flaring up again added to selling pressure. Sectors taking the hardest hit were those most closely linked to growth, including materials, energy and financials. The S&P 500 is now down 3.4 percent from this year’s closing high, after falling 2.7 percent over the past two weeks. “Everyone is looking for global growth, but the slowing in China and the rising yields in Europe are creating questions about how strong we might expect it to be,” said Brad Sorensen, director of market and sector analysis at Charles Schwab in Denver. “That’s leading to a correction here, with financials especially taking a hit.”
Are you Confused yet? Not sure what to do with your investments? Got a migraine headache yet? Let’s get Real.
Answer the following simple questions for investment success and you have an Actual Investment Strategy that takes out the News, the Noise and the Confusion.
1. What investment sectors do you buy or sell at any time? 2. How much of those investment sectors do you buy or sell at any time? 3. When do you buy or sell an investment sector? 4. When do you get out of a losing investment position? 5. When do you get out of a winning investment position?
If you can’t answer these simple questions you will fall victim to underperformance, excessive risk and emotional investment disaster for your investments and retirement.
Put it this way: you either have a real investment strategy in writing that is followed or you don’t.
Some might say, “Oh, I have an investment strategy.” What he typically means is that he has a system, and it advises him what to do. If he likes the advice, he’ll take it, and if he doesn’t like the advice, he won’t take it. That’s not an investment strategy. That’s the same as following the news, the noise and personal bias, which is almost always wrong.
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