Turn off the news

“I’ve been saying this since the 2009 Financial Crisis, and I’ll say it again today:

Turn off the news.

Back then, I was glued to the financial media. I’d watch the major networks, read the papers, soak up the headlines. I thought I was doing my job as an investment manager by being informed.

But all anyone did on TV was scream at each other. The newspapers were filled with terrifying headlines designed to make you panic — and usually trick you into doing something stupid with your money.

So I stopped.

I stopped letting the fear machine into my head. I stopped investing based on other people’s emotions. I decided to let the market tell me what was happening — not the suits on TV or the clickbait headlines.

Fast forward to today. I’m seeing people on social media flipping out about geopolitical developments, bombs dropping, oil surging, and the stock market “about to crash.”

The U.S. dropped some bombs this weekend and the fear juices are flowing.

I get it. The world feels shaky sometimes.

But when those feelings rise up, I take a breath… and I go look at the charts.

Because here’s the truth: the market is the news.

Price is the most honest thing we’ve got. It’s not spun, it’s not hysterical, it’s not trying to trigger my lizard brain into fear-based decision-making. Price is just the truth. It’s supply and demand in real time.

It’s entirely possible that some of these worst-case fears could come true. But trading off what might happen is a losing game.

If I’m managing risk based on headlines instead of price action, I’ve already lost. I’m reacting, not investing. I’m following, not leading.

So yeah, I say it again with full conviction:

Turn off the news. Watch the market. Let price be your signal.

It’s not only better for your trading — it’s better for your sanity.”

I confess I didn’t write any of the above. I was about to write a blog along the same lines, but Sean, a US analyst I follow, has said it so much more succinctly than I could.

As I write this at 8:00pm, oil predictably jumped in price, but has now dropped back below $72

The S&P500 is up on the day! All other Western stock markets were similarly unmoved.

I hope this blog helps those of my clients who worry after they have watched the news. If you need a chat don’t hesitate to contact me.