You may have heard the phrase “contrarian investing,” but did you know that one of the most reliable contrary indicators is individual investors? Retail investors often do the wrong thing at the wrong time. But this year, they have been mostly correct in their bearish view. In the chart below, you can see that for most of 2022, individuals have had little confidence in the stock market. |
Warren Buffett has one of Wall Street’s most famous quotes about contrarian investing. He suggested investors “be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” So is it time to be greedy, or is it best to remain fearful? When we created your portfolio strategy, we anticipated there would be periods of market volatility. With your investing dollars, we’re not looking to time the market based on sentiment. Instead, we want to help you pursue your goals based on your time horizon and risk tolerance. The market indexes discussed are unmanaged and generally considered representative of their respective markets. Individuals cannot directly invest in unmanaged indexes. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost. No investment strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against loss. |

Warren Buffett on Contrarian Investing
November 02, 2022