Is it just my imagination or....

[sweeps]

.... does the stock market go higher just before I invest? It's getting to be the end of the month and of course people decide to buy just before my 401k contribution goes in.

Sell people, sell!!

[Caoineag]

Oh I so seem to have this issue as well. I have to laugh it off but I do growl occasionally since it goes up only for the day I buy...

[disneysteve]

.... does the stock market go higher just before I invest? It's getting to be the end of the month and of course people decide to buy just before my 401k contribution goes in.

Sell people, sell!!

People can only sell if there are other people ready to buy. You can't have one without the other.

I think there is a tendency for the market to trend up at the end of the month, the end of the quarter and the end of the year due to managers fussing with things to make the numbers look better.

[Aleta]

Also, it goes up before the end of the year, and goes up before the tax deadline for people to get their end of the year contributions in. There actually is a list of days that tell you when to not to buy and not to sell.

[sweeps]

Whew. The stock market is currently way down... Just in time for this month's 401k contribution to go in.

[jc3900]

Hey Aleta, do you know where such a list can be found?

[sweeps]

If there is such a list, I'd throw it away. How long do you think it's going to take a smart person to buy when everyone else is selling, and vice versa.

[jc3900]

Yeah, this list probably would be useless, but if there was very good evidence to say that end of quarters and tax day are big up or down days than I think it would be usefull. Otherwise, you will just have some good years (in terms of contribution) and some bad years but in the end it averages out.

[Taribor]

Also, it goes up before the end of the year, and goes up before the tax deadline for people to get their end of the year contributions in. There actually is a list of days that tell you when to not to buy and not to sell.

I tend to think people should be buying and selling based on sound financial research and performance, not because a list says so, and what amounts to market timing. That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

....but hell, in this market, it is probably doing better than half the experts

[money2008]

If you invest in broad market funds every month, the dollar cost averaging will work on your side in long run. During market downturns, I typically increase my 401 contributions. It works well in long run !

[Broken Arrow]

I tend to think people should be buying and selling based on sound financial research and performance, not because a list says so, and what amounts to market timing. That sounds like a recipe for disaster.

....but hell, in this market, it is probably doing better than half the experts

It's true to some extent, but the market has also proven that many investors also invest emotionally.... Then again, half of all day trading is done through computer algorithms now....

I guess my point then is that, with all of these these entities and investment strategies out there all at work at the same time; human and otherwise.... It's just not easy to predict the market's mood swings on a day-to-day basis....

As sweeps stated, it's easier to just throw any simplified lists out the window and "time" according to what works best for your own personal finances, rather than what the market is doing....

In my humble opinion....

Either that, or the market really IS after sweeps!

[PrincessPerky]

I just read in RD (yes in, like the old paper version) that the timing doesn't matter in the long run....you still make about the same. I am guessing it was an over simplified report though....