| |
| |
|
Stocks & Mutual Funds Information |
|
|
|
The Shadow
The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program called The Shadow where the hero, Lamont Cranston, the Shadow, would overcome the shadowy forces of doom by clouding the vision of those around him. "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men" was their intro line. They were great shows and you can still find them on the Internet. The stock market is kind of like the shadow. As you walk along with the sun at your back you cast a shadow. No matter which way you move the shadow stays ahead. Fast, slow, right, left. It doesn't make any difference. An equity market is the shadow of the economy staying out in front following every twist and turn. Depending upon the height of the sun the shadow may be long or short. You can see it either as a long term or short term prediction of the passage. If you did not know what a shadow was you would not realize it is telling you something about where you are going. If you see the shadow fall across a hole you know you must step over or around it depending upon its width and depth. The path of our economy is predicted by the direction of the stock market. When things are good and everyone is making money the shadow seems to go up and when the economy slows (for whatever reason) the shadow darker and heads down. At this time (11/04) the sun is shining brightly and the shadow stretches out long and friendly before us. The stock market is going up and everyone is feeling good, but we also know that tomorrow storm clouds may appear making our shadow seem to be a monster black image that hides the potholes in our path. When that occurs we must be ready to put on our raincoat to protect what we carry through life. One of the most important is the money we have put aside for the time we wish to depart the path, sit by the road and contemplate all the beautiful things we have brought. That means we must guard against losing what we have created and not let the shadowy rain cloud wash them away. That raincoat for your investments is an exit strategy for your portfolio. Without a plan to protect your assets it will be too easy to seem them washed away. This does not mean diversification which is what brokers want you to do. It means a plan to exit (sell) stock and mutual funds that are going down. This can be done with a simple percentage stop-loss order for your stocks and a mental stop loss for funds. Brokers never want you to sell even though there may be a commission involved because once you money is in a money market neither they nor the brokerage company makes any money. You and only you care about your money so you must protect it. Think about an exit plan now and put it into place. Do not become a victim of the dark shadow. About The Author Al Thomas F*R*E*E investment letter www.mutualfundmagic.com Author of best seller "IF IT DOESN'T GO UP, DON'T BUY IT!" Never lose money in the market. Copyright 2004 Albert W. Thomas All rights reserved. Former 17-year exchange member, floor trader and brokerage company owner.
MORE RESOURCES:
Stocks-Mutual-Funds - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Getting Even I know there are a lot of you out there who would like to "get even" with the stock market. Many are on the diet of "I hope, I hope". Money, Insanity and Wall Street Money: the most charged word in the planet. It means something to everyone. Dividend Reinvestment Plans: Investing on Automatic Pilot If you're like many investors who squander those small dividend checks from your stock portfolio, a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) might be just what you need. Just as its name implies, a Dividend Reinvestment Plan allows you to reinvest some or all of those dividends into more stock of the issuing company. Selection Vs Direction As I have said many times before in this column it really doesn't make any difference what you buy - stocks, funds or indexes - it takes smarts to know when to sell. Direction of the general market is more important than selection of any equity. How To Pick A Mutual Fund Mutual funds by definition are a mixed bag of stocks, bonds and a little cash. Their price per share is the NAV, Net Asset Value of the total amount of money in the mutual fund divided by the number of shares. True Investment Road Maps If you don't know where you are going any road will get there. After you get there you might not like where you ended up. Investing in the Stock Market From the book 'The Stockopoly Plan' by the author Charles M. O'MeliaThere are several factors an investor in the stock market should consider:1. How To Buy And Hold One of the most believed bits of conventional wisdom from Wall Street is to Buy and Hold. Any stock or mutual fund should be put away for eternity and never sold. Living Trust Investing: Income Considerations when the Grantor Dies A common problem I often see when working with living trust beneficiaries and trustees is the lack of attention in rethinking income strategies in the event of the grantor's death.When the grantor of a living trust dies, the trustee (especially a family member or close friend) sometimes feels reluctant to revise the portfolio, feeling it's an affront to the wishes of the deceased. So, What is This Stock Market Thing Anyway? We've all heard of the stock market and probably have a general idea of what it is and how it works either from high school economics classes, television financial reports, and the countless film depictions of what happens on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. But how does it really work and what is meant by "playing the stock market?"The Stock Market in a NutshellCompanies sell shares of stock as a means of raising capital. Buy and Hold Investment Strategy "Buy and hold" is one of the most heralded investment strategies promoted today. "Buy and hold" is also one of the few investment methods where you are guaranteed to lose money 2 out of every 5 years. Stock Market Course .... Day Trader Online Seminar ... Can You Generate Profits Trading from Home? When it comes to stock market trading it PAYS to have more knowledge than the rest of the pack. Pure gold can be harvested in each profitable trade that you accomplish. The Elephant Four blind men were asked to give a description of an elephant. They had not seen one or ever encountered such a beast. What Can Model Airplanes Teach You About Trading? I was devastated!I just couldn't believe it. I was 10 years old and my dreams were shattered. Protect Your 401K Checked your 401K lately? Going back to about a year ago many of these retirement accounts have shrunk by 30%, some even more. What Happened?You have been putting money in for years and your employer may have been contributing to your plan also. Who Knows? The Shadow knows. Remember him? It seems a shadow has a firm grip on this stock market. Emotional Trading The single most expensive stock market trades are those made with emotions, but, of course, you are not an emotional trader are you?Before you bought that stock, mutual fund or Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) you did your research to be sure that what you were buying would return a good profit over the long haul. You bought it and over time you look at it less and less. The Golden Goose is Sick It is finally catching up with them. The brokerage companies I mean. The Three Little Pigs Went to the Stock Market Three little pigs went to the market to stockup for the future.The first little pig liked chips so he went tothe DOW market. Stock Valuation using the SMP Model Disclaimer:Please note that I do not necessarily purchase, own, or partake of any of the securities or other financial instruments mentioned in this article. I also do not take any responsibility for any actions resulting from any actions taken by anyone who reads this article.
|
Sponsors: Chicago Paving Contractor | Remanufactured VTL | Religious Statues | Search Engine Specialist
