Who’s making a fool of investors?

Today is 1^st April; a day when you can fool anyone in a friendly manner and play pranks without the victim of your hoaxes taking things to heart. Of course, that’s as long as “the prank” is friendly and not nasty.

So, you may think of calling your friend to a restaurant for lunch and then not showing up. Or you may send a gift to your friend from an online retailer and select the COD (Cash on Delivery) option.

Note: these aren’t April Fools’ Day suggestions.

Scope for your imagination is limitless.

But as an investor, every day could be on the 1^st of April for you. And there’s no guarantee that the surprise won’t be nasty.

(Note: The list isn’t exhaustive. There can be other sources too, but listed above are the most prominent ones.)

Markets: They are unpredictable. When you think they will go up, they go down. And when everybody expects them to go down, they spike up to touch the Mount Everest of markets. Did you experience this recently when the Nifty rallied nearly 1,000 points in just 18-20 trading sessions?

If markets catch you on the wrong side of a trade, you are surely in for a nasty surprise.

“Markets are a paradise for fools where even the wise are treated like fools initially” — Vidhata Bhide

Rumours: If somebody’s selling you a story or news eliciting your immediate response that could just be a rumour.   Sometimes, the grapevine is so strong that, you get to hear about it from unknown sources and known ones as well. If that makes you believe the news is confirmed, be ready for the fools’ moment.

Buying and selling any financial instrument based on what you hear on Dalal Street is always a risk.

Self-proclaimed experts: This is one of the most dangerous sources that can make a fool of you. If you get an SMS saying double your money in just a year by following our tips, you shouldn’t take them seriously.

Why would people who can double their money in just a year, by completely genuine means, share their trading and investing secrets with you?

If you follow friends and relatives who don’t have any formal qualification or practical experience in finance or have no knowledge about markets in particular, you will feel disgusted someday.

How to safeguard yourself?

• More than markets, follow your financial goals.
• Believe in numbers rather than a story. After all, earnings drive stock prices in the long run.
• If you are a trader, trust the price trend, rather than your conviction. Honour stop profit and stop loss price points, strictly.
• Before you seek advice from anyone, ensure that the person has adequate qualifications and experience to advise you on investments.
• Always be prepared for unforeseen events.

Ventura Securities believes in the power of awareness. If you are aware, you can’t be fooled, and if you still are, indeed, the shock element won’t be very high.

Kyon ki bhaiya sabse bada rupaiya

Disclaimer: Ventura Securities Ltd has taken due care and caution in compilation of data for its web blog. Information has been obtained from different sources which it considers reliable. However, Ventura Securities Ltd does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of any information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of such information. Ventura Securities Ltd especially states that it has no financial liability whatsoever to any user on account of the use of information provided on its web blog. The information provided herein is just for the knowledge purpose and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice under any circumstances.