Trending Down

Market Timing: Be Defensive

Now is the time to sit on the sidelines, tighten stops, or play the market to the downside.

One key factor that can influence your chances of success in the market is the overall market trend. As the saying goes, "a rising tide lifts all boats." Similarly, when the stock market is on an upward trajectory, more stocks tend to participate in the rally than those that decline. Investing during a rising market increases the likelihood of selecting stocks that will also rise in price. Conversely, when the market is declining, even top-performing stocks can suffer.

The VectorVest Composite (VVC) is our broad-market index and the foundation of our stock market analysis. It is an arithmetic indexed average of all the stocks in our database. The VVC provides a more accurate reflection of the overall market's movement due to the breadth of the stocks that are included. At times, you might notice major indexes showing mixed results—such as the Dow Jones declining while the S&P rises—leading to confusion about the market's true direction. By following the VVC, we gain a clearer understanding of broader market trend. VectorVest has developed market timing signals to identify the current trend of the VVC movements, thereby enhancing your chances of success. The core philosophy of VectorVest is to buy stocks that are rising in price, in a rising market. We do not advocate buying stocks when the market is in a downward trend.

“Trending Down” means that the VVC is moving lower on a week over week basis, and accelerating day over day.