📖Benjamin Graham

Market Cannot Be Predicted

🌿 Intermediate★★★★☆

Market timing based on forecasts is futile because no one can reliably predict short-term price movements.

💬

It is absurd to think that the general public can ever make money out of market forecasts.

— _The Intelligent Investor_，1949

🏠 Everyday Analogy

Predicting the stock market is as unreliable as forecasting the weather a year from today. Weather forecasters can't even accurately predict next week's weather, let alone a year ahead. The same holds true for the stock market—there are too many complex influencing factors, and any prediction is merely speculation. Just as sensible people don't stay indoors forever because the forecast calls for rain, they also don't alter their investment strategies based on stock market predictions.

📖 Core Interpretation

No one can reliably predict market movements; do not base investment decisions on such predictions.
💎 Key Insight：Decades of evidence confirm Graham's insight: market forecasting has no reliable practitioners. The financial industry profits from the illusion of predictability, but investors profit from recognizing its impossibility. Replace forecasting with a valuation-based approach that does not depend on predicting the future.

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❓ Why It Matters

Market forecasting is a pseudoscience, and the success of forecasters is often a matter of luck.

🎯 How to Practice

Focus on individual stock analysis rather than market predictions, and let value, not forecasts, guide decision-making.

🎙️ Master's Voice

You may take advantage of Mr. Market's daily price if you wish, or ignore him.
Graham gave investors permission to ignore the market. There is no obligation to trade. You can simply wait for attractive prices.

⚔️ Practical Guide

✅ Decision Checklist

  • Should I trade or ignore?
  • Is this price attractive?
  • Can I wait?

📋 Action Steps

  1. Feel free to ignore the market
  2. Trade only when attractive
  3. Wait patiently

🚨 Warning Signs

  • Feeling obligated to trade
  • Acting on every price
  • Impatience

⚠️ Common Pitfalls

✕This does not mean completely ignoring the macro environment.
✕But do not let predictions dominate your investment decisions.

📚 Case Studies

1
Dot-Com Bubble Euphoria (1999)
Tech stocks soared despite weak earnings. Many investors extrapolated recent gains, assuming the trend would persist indefinitely.
✨ Outcome：Disciplined investors following Graham’s value principles avoided overpriced tech stocks and preserved capital when the bubble burst in 2000-2002.
2
Post-Crisis Market Rally (2009)
After the 2008 crash, pessimism dominated headlines and forecasts. Many predicted a prolonged depression and stayed in cash.
✨ Outcome：Value investors who bought strong businesses at deep discounts in 2009 saw substantial gains as markets recovered over the following years.

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