stocks down 3% for the month

We head into the weekend with stocks down 3% for the month.  This follows a bad January. In fact, the stock market is working on a fifth consecutive negative month. The likelihood, however, of it finishing down for February is very low.  It's only happened 18 times since 1928.  So the S&P 500 has five consecutive losing months just 1.7% of the time, historically.

Whether you’re here or there: keep it simple, have a plan, and follow that plan. That’s all you have to do.

can you relate...

When an archer is shooting for nothing . . . he has all his skill.

If he shoots for a brass buckle . . . he is already nervous.

If he shoots for a prize of gold . . . he goes blind;

or sees two targets . . . he is out of his mind!

His skill has not changed.  But the prize . . . divides him.  He cares.

He thinks more of winning than of shooting . . . 

and the need to win drains him of power.

            – Chuang Tzu, 400 B.C../
                                                    ...if you are a trader, you can

markets so far in 2016