A Stock Market Stinger

In medical terms, a “stinger” is a neurological injury suffered by athletes, mostly in high-contact sports such as ice hockey, rugby, American football, and wrestling.

But I’m getting the sense from emails and comments this week that we could use a definition for a “stock market stinger.”

Maybe something like: “A neurological tick suffered by investors who overreact to normal volatility, and add insult to injury by repeatedly buying high and selling low.”

Or something like that…

And in line with my neologism pursuits I got the license number off the articulated lorry that drove over the market last week.  It matches the one that got us a few weeks ago: FEAR2018.

The plates are registered to the City.

OK, so you might hate reading this but the markets are taking our emotions for a ride again.  

The winners in this short-term mess are set to be the same as always; those who can move the least and ignore the most.  

That includes all of the newest FaceBook haters.

Think about it. Just two weeks ago if you asked yourself: "What could possibly go wrong to cause the market to get the jitters again?"  

Well, I’ve got two things I’m almost certain would NOT have been on your list:

1) A trade war with China, and

2) The end of Facebook.

As such, the lesson is that this too shall pass.  

And when it does, folks will come up with even more to worry about and fret over. Go on, try making a list now of your future worries and see how accurate you are in a couple of weeks’ time or even a few months.

Black Swans turn grey as soon as you start talking about them.  

And by the 12th glaring headline on the topic, they turn as white as snow.