The Quiet Squeeze in the Money Markets

Mitch shows why the adage "sell in May and go away" is bad advice for long-term investors.

Time to Sell in May and Go Away? The tulips have bloomed and warmer temperatures are here, which means it's time for the "Sell in May and go away" punditry to flood the financial news media. Don't buy into it. Many readers are likely familiar with the 'Sell in May' adage, which says that investors should ditch stocks at the end of April, wait on the sidelines until Halloween or some arbitrary date in the fall, and then reinvest in time for the Santa Claus late-year rally. But it's all just hocus-pocus, in my view. Data going back to 1925 shows that in the six months between May and the end of October, the S&P 500 has gone up in 69 out of 95 years – which means stocks went up 73% of the time. 'Sell in May' advocates still somehow manage to direct focus on the 27% of down years. The broader point is often missed: in the 73% of up years, the average annual return is +4.3%. If investors perpetually miss this upside (even if the upside is fairly modest), it can have major implications on long-term returns. Don't Play into the Media and Headlines – Focus on the Facts and Data! If the 'Sell in May' adage can teach investors anything, it is that it is more important to focus on key data points instead of trending headlines. The key to long-term financial success is not to give in to short-term, hasty decisions! It's better to prepare your investments for the future instead of emotionally investing based on financial news and headlines. To help you stay focused on key data points and fundamentals that could impact your investments in the long term, I am offering all readers an exclusive look at our May & June Stock Market Outlook Report. This report contains some of our key forecasts to consider such as: Zacks Rank S&P 500 Sector Picks Zacks May and June view on equity markets What produces 2021 optimism? Zacks forecasts for the remainder of the year Zacks ranks industry tables Sell-side and buy-side consensus And much more If you have $500,000 or more to invest and want to learn more about these forecasts, click on the link below to get your free report today! IT'S FREE. Download the Just-Released May and June 2021 Stock Market Outlook1 It is probably worth adding that the 'Sell in May' strategy has not worked really at all in the last 10 years. The table below shows this clearly: Over the Last 10 Years, "Sell in May" Has Basically Never Worked2 To be fair, 'Sell in May' in the context of 2021 makes for an interesting case. Stocks are at all-time highs, and many would say the market is looking frothy. I tend to agree that certain areas of the market are overvalued, which I think argues for an active, research-driven approach like we do here at Zacks Investment Management. But what I don't agree with is the perception that a frothy market makes the case for market timing, especially amid economic expansion. This type of thinking is ripe for mistake-making, in my view. Because at the end of the day, 'Sell in May and Go Away' is a market-timing strategy dressed up as a seasonal, statistics-driven investment approach. Most readers know how I feel about market timing, especially for investors with long-term goals of growth. As I write in my book The Little Book of Stock Market Profits , "Over the years I have yet to find a successful investor who obtained his or her returns through market timing…Active investment strategies can be developed that outperform the market over time – but engaging in behavior that borders on day-trading, because of what day is on the calendar, is ill-advised." The same applies today, in my view. Bottom Line for Investors I have seen reputable pundits and even financial institutions still leaning into the 'Sell in May' adage and even noticed that the statistic has spilled over to Europe. One strategist noted that over the past 15 years, returns in Europe have been negative in June 80% of the time. Again, this is all hocus pocus and cherry-picking, to me.3 As prudent, long-term investors, we should not try to time the market by season or any arbitrary date on the calendar. Stocks do not follow calendars, and neither should long-term equity investors. If you are uncertain about the next financial steps to take, try preparing your investments for the long-term instead of making short-term, hasty decisions! This requires maintaining a diversified portfolio and sticking to key data points and economic indicators that could positively impact your investments in the future. To help you do this, I am offering all readers our Just-Released May and June 2021 Stock Market Outlook Report. This report looks at several factors that are producing optimism right now and contains some of our key forecasts to consider such as: Zacks Rank S&P 500 Sector Picks Zacks May and June view on equity markets What produces 2021 optimism? Zacks forecasts for the remainder of the year Zacks ranks industry tables Sell-side and buy-side consensus And much more If you have $500,000 or more to invest and want to learn more about these forecasts, click on the link below to get your free report today! FREE Download – Zacks' May 2021 Stock Market Outlook Report4 About Zacks Investment Management Zacks Investment Management was born out of one of the country's largest providers of independent research, Zacks Investment Research. Our independent research capabilities from our parent company truly distinguish us from other wealth management firms - our strategies are derived from research and innovation, including the proprietary Zacks Rank stock selection model, earnings surprise and estimate revision factors. At Zacks Investment Management, we work with clients with $500,000 or more to invest, and we use this independent research, 35+ years of investment management experience, and tools we've developed to design customized investment portfolios based on each client's individual needs. The end result is investment management that is research driven, results oriented and client focused. Ready to get serious about pursuing your financial goals? Call 1-800-701-9830 today, or schedule a time with a Zacks Wealth Advisor. © Zacks Investment Management  |  Privacy Policy 1 Morgan Stanley. February 5, 2021. 2 J.P.Morgan. Guide to the Markets. 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