MARKET FLUCTUATIONS IN THE INVESTOR'S PORTFOLIO

look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy
Look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy ; profit from folly rather than participate in it - WARREN BUFFET 

Every investor who owns common stocks must expect to see them fluctuate in value over the years . Since the individual issues set their high and low marks at different times , the fluctuations in the group as a whole are less severe than those in the separate components .
We have traced through the price fluctuations of other types of diversified and conservative common-stock portfolios and we find that the overall results are not likely to be markedly different from the above . In general , the second line companies fluctuate more widely than the major ones , but this does not necessarily mean that a group of well-established but smaller companies will make a poorer showing over a fairly long period . 

In any case the investor may as well resign himself in advance to the probability rather than the mere possibility that most of his holdings will advance , say , 50% more from their low point and decline the equivalent one-third or more from their high point at various periods in the next five years .

A serious investor is not likely to believe that the day-to-day or even month-to-month fluctuations of the stock market make him richer or poorer . But what about the longer-term and wider changes ??? Here practical questions present themselves and the psychological problems are likely to grow complicated .

A substantial rise in the market is at once a legitimate reason for satisfaction and a cause for prudent concern , but it may also bring a strong temptation toward imprudent action . Your shares have advanced , good ! You are richer than you were , good ! but has the price risen too high , and should you think of selling ?? or should you kick yourself for not having bought shares when the level was lower ?? 


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