what is the big difference between short-term and long-term investing?
Investing can be thought of as putting your money in a piggy bank, but instead of a physical piggy bank, it's an account you have with a bank or investment company that specializes in handling money for other people. You can put money in your account at any time, but you can't take it out until a later time.
When you invest for a short period of time, you're trying to make a quick profit, just like you would if you sold a toy that you bought for a few dollars for many dollars more. The price of the toys might change several times in the day, and you might try to buy and sell them quickly, hoping to make a profit.
When you invest for a long period of time, you're trying to build wealth, just like if you saved up your allowance and put it in your piggy bank, hoping to buy something big like a bicycle or a game console. The price of your investments might change over the course of days, weeks, months, or even years, but you're looking to have your money grow over time, so you can buy something even bigger later on.
The main difference between short-term and long-term investing is the time horizon, or how long you're willing to wait to see your money grow. Short-term investing is focused on quick profits, while long-term investing is focused on building wealth over time.
Read from source...
(i) Joel, a technician and trader, who believed in short-term trading and "sell in May and go away" strategy. He ignored the overall bullish trend in the market and focused on short-term fluctuations; (ii) Kay, an investor with a long-term horizon, who considered the market's long-term growth prospects. She found it difficult to cope with short-term fluctuations and often made emotional decisions; (iii) Alice, an amateur trader who relied on tips from social media influencers and ignored fundamental analysis. She followed trends and switched positions frequently, leading to losses; (iv) Ben, a fundamental analyst who focused on the market's long-term trends and ignored short-term fluctuations. He was often bearish when the market was bullish and vice versa; (v) Tom, a momentum trader who relied on technical analysis and trend-following strategies. He ignored long-term trends and fundamental analysis and focused on short-term gains. He suffered losses during market corrections.
The article highlights the importance of understanding the time horizon and market trends while making investment decisions. It suggests that investors should focus on their investment goals and time horizon and ignore short-term fluctuations. They should also conduct fundamental analysis and consider long-term trends while making investment decisions. The article provides insights into the pitfalls of emotional decisions, irrational arguments, and inconsistent strategies in investing and trading.
Negative
Overall Tone/angle of article:
The article talks about the difference between short term and long term investing and how people need to be careful about the timeframes they are looking at when it comes to market predictions. The tone is somewhat negative as it talks about the high odds of negative returns over short timeframes, but it does end on a more positive note by reminding readers that the long term is usually more successful in the stock market.
Tim has set up his blog. He has a lot to say about value investing and other strategies, and his deep background in finance should make his observations worth reading. Give it a look.