Pricing In

One of the most common traits of the retail trader is the idea that, with enough information, it would be possible to trade more effectively, that we could find some aspect of the market left unturned by analysts, and we could profit from this hidden gem. It’s a stirring fantasy, but that’s all it is - in reality, every bit of information that “matters” is hunted down and devoured by those people whose sole job is to accurately price equities and other securities.

As a result, we’re left to respond to price movement as it happens in the market. It’s important to recognize that, with very few exceptions, our participation has no effect on the market, or on pricing in general. This is a good thing for us, because it means we can move in and out of positions with virtually no consequence to the surrounding market. 

So what does this mean? It means that all we can do is acknowledge that we have no “control” over what happens, and instead prepare ourselves to best respond to changes as they happen.