Investing Information

Overbought/Oversold





Has your broker ever told you that a stock is "overbought" or "oversold"? He probably went on the explain that the stock you own (I hope you didn't) had gone down so far that it now was oversold and due for a rally. He might also have encouraged you to buy an equal amount to "dollar cost average" your position so that when ("if"- he didn't say that, I did)) it did go back up you could "get out even". He might even say you "could make a fortune".

Waiting to get out even is the great trap that is preached by all the big Maul Street brokerage houses. What is even worse is most brokers and financial planners believe it. What happened to all those beautiful company reports sent to you telling how wonderful this stock was before you bought it. Maybe you better read those back to him. Brokerage companies do not want you to sell.

When any stock is going either up or down for any extended period of time it does seem logical that it can become overbought or oversold, but let's examine what that means to your ownership.

The reason a stock started up is because the underlying profit projection is going to produce substantial profits that will make the stock more valuable. At some point it is going to reach a true valuation and should stop advancing. What usually happens is it goes beyond true valuation to what could be called overbought (over valued) and then starts down. You may be encouraged to buy when a particular stock becomes "hot" and everyone is buying it. When all the sheep are buying you want to be a seller or you will also be sheared.

Suppose all this was in anticipation of future profits that did not materialize? Then the rise would turn over and head down. This would be more likely for a smaller company than one of the giants, but giants have been toppled. If any fraud was involved the company might even go bankrupt.

Think back to WorldCom that went to the moon and was finally flushed down the sewer. Did it EVER while it was tanking become oversold for a rally? Not hardly because there was no value. Unless you truly understand how to trade overbought and oversold situations the best thing to do is keep your hands in your pockets.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Overbought and oversold is in the mind of the buyer/seller.

About The Author

Copyright 2004 All rights reserved.

Albert W. Thomas Former 17 year exchange member, floor trader and brokerage company owner. F*R*E*E investment letter www.mutualfundmagic.com. Author of best seller "IF IT DOESN'T GO UP, DON'T BUY IT!"

al@mutualfundmagic.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Investing mistakes even the pros make
Sydney Morning Herald
The best investors learn from their mistakes over time. And because I've made plenty of mistakes during my career, I'll optimistically say that means I've had lots of room for personal growth. Lucky you, then, for being able to learn from some of the ...

and more »


Merck Investors Can Sleep Easier (Not Easy)
DailyFinance
By Brian Orelli, The Motley Fool Posted 3:34PM 02/06/12 Investing Merck (NYS: MRK) said today that its insomnia drug suvorexant had passed two phase 3 trials, putting it on track for an FDA filing this year. But that doesn't mean investors can sleep ...

and more »


Moneycontrol.com

3 Dow Stocks That Jumped in a Down Market
DailyFinance
By Dan Caplinger, The Motley Fool Posted 7:06PM 02/06/12 Investing The stock market may have been down today, but things could have been worse. After falling nearly 70 points in early trading, the Dow Jones Industrials (INDEX: ^DJI) recovered to finish ...
Investing In The Dogs Of The DowSeeking Alpha

all 100 news articles »


Delaware Investments Tops "Barron's Fund Families Report" for 2011
MarketWatch (press release)
PHILADELPHIA, Feb 06, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Delaware Investments, a member of Macquarie Group, is ranked first in the "Barron's Fund Families Report" for 2011, according to the annual Barron's ranking. In the publication's Feb.

and more »


Investments for Income Lovers
Motley Fool
With interest rates at historical lows, folks are having a hard time squeezing any meaningful income out of their investments. While you don't want to go out too far on a limb in search of higher yields, there are some steps you can take to boost your ...

and more »


Your Most Important Investing Decision of the Next 10 Years
TheStreet.com
And these are some of the most boring companies you can think of -- real-state investment trusts (REITs), pipeline operators and cigarette makers. But they all have one thing in common. As the chief investment strategist behind High-Yield Investing, ...

and more »


Ask the Experts: What looks attractive for investors?
Kansas City Star
By CLAUDIA BUCK With the economy starting to perk up, investors are wondering where they should be looking next. Here with some recommendations is Glenn Kenes, managing director of investments with Barber-Kenes Capital Management Group in Auburn, ...

and more »


J.D. Power and Associates Recognizes Merrill Edge(R) Call Centers for Customer ...
MarketWatch (press release)
For customers who prefer to invest on their own, Merrill Edge provides an online self-directed investing platform, with robust tools and resources to help them make informed investment decisions. "This designation acknowledges the strong commitment ...

and more »


TD Ameritrade Investor Poll: Younger Investors More Likely to Invest "More" in ...
MarketWatch (press release)
OMAHA, Neb., Feb 06, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The European debt crisis, US unemployment, the housing market, and political uncertainty - a laundry list of issues that may be causing investors to think more cautiously about their financial futures.

and more »


Freedom Investing 2012
Forbes
I've been discussing foreign freedom investing for a decade now. In the spring of 2010, I used the term “Ring-of-Fire” to describe countries with a high debt and deficit and suggested avoiding them. A year later, I revisited that advice and counseled ...

and more »

Google News

Improve your credit  the home owner loan  Stock4Profit  Best Investing Guide  Credit Card and Mortgage  
Free Links Direct
Cheap Flights - Over 1,200 Destinations Worldwide
Cheap flights to New YorkCheap flights to DubaiCheap flights to Bangkok
Cheap flights to OrlandoCheap flights to Las VegasCheap flights to Sydney
Home | Site Map | The Investment Machine | real estate investing | stock market investing | stock market | investing strategy | stock investing | investing in | invest | stock |
© 2007