I have a question: Why do I refuse to allow a single stock; (today it was AAPL, with a touch of WMT) dictate my broader market trading? Days where this happens are one of the two types (of trading events) that still bring strong emotion to me. I feel ignorant watching what is unfolding, and refusing to change my positions/rules. If I wanted to trade AAPL i would trade AAPL. This is one of my weaknesses; I seem puzzled as to why the broad market seems so fixated on a single issue. Each time this happens I get frustrated; yet I have refused to create rules for this scenario. SO, do any of you have some strategies to deal with a 'Fixated' market? I just had an idea; Maybe I should hedge my positions with the culprit issue?
Ray I make the same mistake too in a way if I toss out a clunker or two I will suspect the market before me and sometimes I slow down on other moves that then turn out to be very profitable (for someone else) I never follow Apple or any of these new 4 horseman because they can be going up while the market is going down but I do employ a strategy you touch on at the end of your thread-- I portfolio hop -- if I screw up my wife's IRA say then I will take the next stock down on my buy list and shove into one of my personal accounts or a family account. This was undoubtedly someone will benefit from my smarts even if if it's NOT ME! ~ SI