Can Someone Actually Predict the Stock Market's Movements?

Are there some folks amongst us who can actually predict precisely what the stock market is going to do? The most honest answer is no, not on this planet. Up until this point in time in the history of mankind no one has been able to accurately predict any such thing. Although so many have tried, according to the evidence on the books they've all been colossal failures.

If you want to become a successful investor, please, do yourself a huge favor: focus on the fundamentals, invest prudently - not based on anyone's predictions or even your own feelings.

Is Your Portfolio Designed to Weather the Storm?

Is Your Portfolio Designed to Weather the Storm?

What a rocky start of the year for equities. To say the stock market has been plummeting over the last week or so is an understatement. Every major index from The Dow to the S&P 500 and NASDAQ spent the entire week in turmoil, ending anywhere between negative 5 and 7 points. Yes, all just this week. 

Obviously, as an individual investor trying to grow your portfolio so you can have a better financial future, this is clearly an unsettling turn of events. Of course, it raises the proverbial elephant-in-the-room question that, in my humble opinion, every serious investor need to reevaluate: Is this the beginning of the end of the stock market as we know it? So should you get your money out now? Or should you just take this activity as normal and move on with your life?

In all honesty, I’d be doing you a great disservice if I told you which way you should move without first examining the actual composition of your portfolio and speaking with you in detail. In the same way, I’d caution you against taking any such suggestions from anyone else unless and until that person has done a thorough examination of your portfolio. That includes all media personalities, your favorite stock-whiz friends, and pretty much everyone, without any exceptions whatsoever. 

Here’s why. Whatever effect the stock market’s movements are having on your portfolio is only a symptom of the actual underlying issue: how your portfolio is arranged, and whether or not you have the most efficient arrangement to achieve your expected outcome. Unfortunately, most investors get confused by the overwhelming media coverage of the day-to-day movements of the market and substitute that for an assessment of their individual portfolios.

The reality is that the stock market will either go up or down at any particular point in time. The real question is what your specific portfolio is expected to be doing. Were you sold a portfolio with a tendency to always go up? If yes, then, you obviously need to be worried when it dips. Alternatively, if your portfolio is expected to occasionally plummet, to what extent? Is the current dip within those expectations?

As I have said on many occasions, it all boils down to doing it right from the get-go with a skilled advisor who will help you set the right expectations for your specific portfolio based on your individual circumstances. Time and time again, we see that cutting corners and/or buying into whatever seems trendy at the moment usually has a way of not ending well. So begin by defining your expectations; then, get a true advisor to help you build a portfolio YOU can live with. Settling for anything besides that is likely to mean you’ll end up getting thrown around with the wind of the media and/or unscrupulous financial advisors who could destroy your hard-earned wealth.

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Visit LaserFG.com or call 877.656.9111 right now to book your complimentary, confidential consultation with a financial professional who has your best interest at heart and who is willing to ask the tough questions to help you make a plan that will get you where you want to go. You’ll be paired with an experienced financial professional who can help you plan for a secure future, regardless of your current financial situation. Retirement planning means planning for ALL aspects of your life after retirement. If you’re ready, we’re here to help.