The Power of a Falling Market
August 12th
Smile when you read a headline that says 'Investors lose as market falls.' Edit it in your mind to 'Disinvestors lose as market falls—but investors gain.' Though writers often forget this truism, there is a buyer for every seller and what hurts one necessarily helps the other.
The market is not an entity that moves in unison, but a collection of individual investors each making their own decisions. When faced with a falling market, it's common to feel fear and panic. However, this is the time to think independently and look beyond the apparent disaster.
A falling market might hurt those who are forced to sell, but it benefits those who are in a position to buy. This transactional balance is often forgotten in the initial wave of panic but understanding this can lead to a more disciplined approach to investing.
This understanding also poses a challenge to you - the investor. When the market falls, do you follow the crowd in their fear-induced selling or do you see the opportunity to invest in potentially undervalued assets? Remember, investing isn't about timing the market, but time in the market.
So next time the market dips, instead of being led by fear, seek out the opportunities. After all, in the push and pull of the market, one investor's loss could indeed be another's gain.
Copyright © 2023 by Scott Sansovich