Market timing is the strategy of making buying or selling decisions of financial assets (often stocks) by attempting to predict future market price movements. … This is an investment strategy based on the outlook for an aggregate market, rather than for a particular financial asset.
What is Market Timing Strategy?
Market timing is a form of investment strategy used when the market prices are perceived to be inefficiently priced or excessively volatile. The overall objective is to reduce risk from too aggressive an investment posture. Ideally, it is prudent to avoid investments when the level of perceived market volatility is too high and the underlying future prospects for interest rates and the economy are uncertain. Since market timing decisions typically are informed by macro economic variables and broad stock market indicators, the decisions are commonly referred to as macroeconomic market timing decisions.
The strategy is employed by market timers. Market Timing Strategy can be used to reduce risk by shifting investments when current prices do not reflect the underlying value of the asset. A market timer can make a significant return in a negative performance cycle through the use of this strategy. Using a short-term capital gains tax shield and the efficient market hypothesis, some market timers believe that they could make above average returns while guaranteeing investment survival over the long term. Market timers tend to be bears when the market is going up and bulls when it is going down. In fact, it is a common misconception to assume that most of the time market timers are pessimists.
Things like national debt and union negotiations do have a tendency of weighing upon the psyche of the market and will eventually have an effect on the stock market. The real challenge is to identify, how much effect they will have. There are no rules, no laws for the market, so how do you know? Market timers tend to be more concerned with broad stock market performance than with the future price performance of individual stocks. It is accordingly impossible for them to predict the price of individual stocks.
Are there any market timing rules or market timing strategies?
There is NO market timing rule or strategy that can predict the next market move in any market. However, there are market timing strategies that you can employ in order to alter your allocation to stocks, bonds or cash based on your assessment of the current state of the economy and market. As part of the strategy, you may also switch into cash when you perceive that the market has run too far or to a stock market index fund when the market appears to be selling off. If you have a well developed macroeconomic view and a strong sense of timing, you should be able to avoid the worst part of the market while at the same time locking in long term gains from the best part of the market.
Is it possible to employ a market timing strategy wherein you anticipate approximately when the market is going to change direction?
Any investor who has experience in the market knows that the economy and market frequently undergo large moves lasting many months or even years. When the market is overvalued, investors generally expect a correction in the stock market or a slowdown in the economy that will result in a change in direction for the market and the economy. However, there are no rules that explicitly dictate the magnitude of the change in the market or the economy. For this reason, all market timers have learned that there are no simple techniques for timing the market. All market timers must develop their own rules in order to construct their market timing strategy.
It is important to understand that the best part of every bull market is the first 3-5 years out of a recession because most prior recessions have been followed by periods of strong economic growth. This is caused by the slack that remains in the economy at the time of the recession and by the pent up business demand for capital goods.
What is upward drift in the stock market and how can it be used to improve your market timing strategy?
Upward drift in the stock market is the tendency of stock market prices to overshoot on the upside or downside. This is the result of investor’s attempts to predict future stock prices. For example, if investors generally expect the market to rise, then the market has a tendency to rise to high levels. This happens because various forms of official data forecasts have a significant influence on investor thought. The same thing is true of data that seems to confirm investors’ expectations. On the other hand, if investors are expecting a correction in the market, then there is a tendency to overshoot on the downside.
Investors and economists have to realize that your expectations for the market can easily become too pessimistic or too optimistic. In order to develop a market timing strategy, you must be able to assess whether the market has overshot its true value. For this to happen, you must understand what investors are currently thinking and this means understanding the mass psychology of the market. When this assessment is done correctly, it will be possible to make profitable market timing decisions.
Is it possible to use macroeconomic factors as a basis for market timing strategy?
Macroeconomic factors are used as the best objective estimates about the direction of the economy. For example, most investors believe that the economy goes into a recession when the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is below its historic trend line and goes into a boom when it is above the trend line. Similarly, the unemployment rate is generally considered to be low when it is below its historic rate and high when it is above its historic rate. However, it is important to note that estimates of the trend line are based on relatively short term changes in GDP and other macro economic variables. Therefore, it is not meaningful to use this data to estimate movements in the economy that reflect the way that investors perceive that the market has overshot its value.
How can you use your own view of the future of the economy and market to develop a market timing strategy?
The first thing that you must do is to understand how the economy and the market has behaved in the past. If you do this correctly, it will be possible to develop a macroeconomic view of the future based on this analysis. You must compare this view with views of the market’s and economy’s future held by other investors and economists. If your view is similar, it might be a good idea to get on board an investment strategy that is based upon the consensus view. If you view is different, you should consider developing your own market timing strategy. In this situation, you should begin constructing a strategy based upon your own market timing rules. You really need to be convinced that your own market timing rules are solid. If you are not sure, you should continue to follow a consensus view, but only invest part of the capital that you can afford to lose.
When you are convinced that your market timing rules are solid, you should select market timing strategies that allow you to invest your entire capital. You should also have a high profit target. You should also select market timing strategies that include a low risk market timing strategy. This will guarantee that you will not suffer losses beyond the amount that is acceptable to you. It will be a low risk strategy that will keep you in the market when you believe that the stock market and economy are reaching new highs.
It is important to note that your market timing strategy must provide for mechanisms to enable you to invest a high proportion of your capital when you believe that the market has reached a new high and a low proportion of your capital if all of the other investors are expecting a correction in the market.
Do you have to be an expert in economics and psychology in order to invest successfully?
Obviously, investors that understand how the economy and market works have a big advantage in developing a market timing strategy, because it is relatively easy for them to analyze the state of the economy and interpret the impact that it has on the stock market. However, you do not need to be an expert in order to develop a macroeconomic view of the stock market and economy. For example, it is relatively easy to find consensus economic forecasts that are published in magazines, on the internet, on the nightly news and in the business section of all leading daily newspapers. In addition, the consensus economic data is released by government institutions that also make it readily available. Therefore, the individual investor can easily develop a macroeconomic view of the stock market and economy.
What is the advantage of using an expert for developing your market timing strategy rather than developing one yourself?
It is helpful to have a professional review your market timing strategy. If you have developed the strategy yourself, they will not have a fixed idea of what it should be. For this reason, they will have a more general understanding of your strategy and be able to adapt it to changing circumstances more easily. They will also be able to advise you about your profit objectives and low risk strategy. Finally, they know what it takes to make it in the financial markets. You can learn a lot from them.
How do you integrate macroeconomic forecasting into your market timing strategy?
Developing a market timing strategy means understanding how many economic forecasts have been in the past and how accurately they have predicted market movements. This will provide you with a basis on which you can develop your own estimations of the economy. However, you must remember that there are a lot of blowhards in the world. Many of them are very persuasive as they spout their view of the world. You are human. You will believe them only until you discover that they are blowing hot air. When you are convinced that you have a clear idea of how complicated the world really is, you will realize that you really need to understand these factors in a way that goes beyond debate.
However, if all of the information that you need is clearly available, you do not need a professional to direct you. For example, take a look at the prevailing macroeconomic data. If you have a rational understanding of this data, and you have an accurate view of the future, the only thing that is important is to have the ability to analyze this data in such a way that you can consistently make good investment decisions. This can be broken down into four steps:
The first step is to plot a graph of economic data on a quarterly basis. This data will be taken from the economic forecasts collected on a bi-monthly basis. You should also include the GDP interval. This would be considered as the “normalized” GDP growth moving forward. This should be calculated as the low GDP forecast for the quarter plus 3/4 of the high forecast, plus the actual GDP for the quarter.
The second step is to plot the normalized values of market level, the amount above the normalized GDP, on a quarterly basis. Use the same time fragments as mentioned previously.
The third step is to compare the actual values of market levels with their respective normalized levels and then compare the actual normalized values versus their respective normalized GDP growth. It is also important to compare the actual level of normalized GDP growth with its respective predicted levels.
The fourth step is to prepare a table, like the one shown below, that allows you to dialogue between more and less normalized levels of behavior of the market and the economy.
Step 1: Normalized Levels – Quarterly Averages
Step 2: Actual Levels – Quarterly Averages
Step 3: Comparing Normalized Futures
Step 4: Comparaing Actual Futures
If the market level or actual GDP levels are reaching extreme levels, you should adjust your market timing strategy and low risk strategy. This will allow you to invest an appropriate amount of your capital when you think that the stock market and economy are reaching new highs. It will allow you to put on a lower risk strategy when you think that the market is going to start a correction.
How do you adjust your market timing strategy?
Let’s assume that the normalized GDP for the second quarter is 2.5 and the actual GDP for second quarter is 0.9%. If this is in line with the normalized forecast for the quarter, then you should take an investment position in line with your normal strategy.
Let’s assume that the normalized GDP for second quarter is 2.5 and the actual GDP for the second quarter is 0.9%. If this is in line with the normalized forecast for the second quarter, then you should take an investment position that is more aggressive than your normal investment position.
It is difficult to find economy forecasting data. Where can I find reliable data?
Fortunately, there are several sources that provide quarterly macroeconomic forecasts with a high degree of accuracy. The data can be found at Moodys.com.
I have a scenario that you don’t provide data the macroeconomic forecasts. What do I do?
This can be a difficult question to answer. You can do several things. First, you can try to find the data that you need yourself. Sometimes this can be estimated in the past. These forecasts can be used as a substitute for the scenario that you have developed. Secondly, you can develop your market timing strategy for the situation that you have in mind. This will require you to find data that will allow you to estimate where the market is likely to be in the future. Lastly, you can write to Moodys.com. They will do their best to provide you with the information that you need. Remember that you can take advantage of this data for as long as you need it.
What is your profit objective for a particular market timing strategy?
If you are lucky enough to be right, you should be able to accumulate wealth significantly faster than the general public. The difference between your future gains and your future losses should meet or exceed “x” amount of dollars. This will guarantee that you will not suffer losses beyond the amount of value that you have determined in advance that you need to retain.
What is your value is your market timing strategy?
Your investment strategy is most likely going to be different from everyone else’s. You have the ability to devise an investment approach that is specifically tailored to your portfolio expectations. There are two methods you can use. A simple technical approach is based on employing the tools provided by the stock market. You can look at the market action to determine where it is going over the next several market days or weeks. The best technical indicators are the Relative Strength Index, the average true range, as well as the Williams Percent Range. A more complex technical approach is meant to predict the actions of the stock market over the next several months. This sort of market timing is based on using the tools provided by the economy. The best indicators for this sort of market timing strategy are consumer spending, government spending and inflation indicators, such as the PPI.
What is your profit objective for a particular market timing strategy?
Your profit objectives should allow enough money to preserve your income after taxes and expenses. Tax optimization can be achieved by creating an equal investment position on your taxable and non-taxable portfolios.
What is the profit objective?
Your profit objective is a number equal to the value of your entire portfolio as well as the retention of the amount of value that you consider to be your net worth. This value must be equal to or greater than your most generous offer. This is your profit objective. It is important to understand what your profit objective is, because it will allow you to determine when to close an investment position. It will also indicate when it would be in your best interests to return some of the capital that you have invested in the investment.
How do you evaluate risk?
The answer to this question is based on your ability to recognize the important aspects of risk management. This will allow you to live within your means and to give yourself the opportunity to live the dream.
What is the most important aspect of your risk management?
The most important aspect of your risk management is the ability to see the fall of your investment portfolio before you start a rainstorm. You can do this by constantly evaluating your position as well as the market and the economy. This will allow you to prevent as much damage as possible.