Timely (Free) Advice

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This wonderful advice from Fred Schwed was originally published in 1940 – some things never change.

“When there is a stock-market boom, and everyone is scrambling for common stocks, take all your common stocks and sell them. Take the proceeds and buy conservative bonds. No doubt the stocks you sold will go higher. Pay no attention to this – just wait for the depression which will come sooner or later. When this depression – or panic – becomes a national catastrophe, sell out the bonds (perhaps at a loss) and buy back the stocks. No doubt the stocks will go lower still. Again pay no attention. Wait for the next boom. Continue to repeat this operation as long as you live, and you’ll have the pleasure of dying rich”.

Where are the Customers’ Yachts? is one of the best books written about Wall Street. No doubt the investors that read it, will still forget Schwed’s sage advice.

For a reminder, we recommend the more recent Devil’s Financial Dictionary by Jason Zweig, who appropriately penned the intro to Schwed’s Good Hard Look at Wall Street.

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Photo by dimitrisvetsikas1969 (Pixabay)

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