Nothing Good Happens After 4 p.m.
For years, I've (mostly) followed an old piece of wisdom: Nothing good happens after midnight...
For instance, as much as I'm known for loving wine, I don't touch it between midnight and noon.
Science supports the adage as well... One study published in 2022 in Frontiers in Network Physiology found that being awake in the middle of the night negatively impacts our mood, behavior, and decision-making.
But when it comes to trading stocks, I'd narrow that further... Nothing good happens after 4 p.m.
The reason I mention this is that last week, the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") announced it will extend trading hours on its NYSE Arca electronic exchange. Soon, it will be available for 22 hours a day on weekdays – from 1:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Eastern time. That's an increase from the current trading hours of 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.
The NYSE isn't the first to make a change like this, either. In May 2023, Robinhood announced that some stocks and ETFs could be traded on its platform 24 hours a day, five days a week. Overall, many stock exchanges and platforms seem to be trending in the same direction as cryptocurrencies, which can be traded all day, every day.
While some investors are excited about the ability to trade (nearly) whenever they want, and maybe even find an edge in the market, here's the thing to remember...
Wall Street isn't out to help you.
The biggest problem you'll face with after-hours trading (outside the hours of 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time) is a lack of liquidity. With fewer trades happening, you might not see the prices you want. If you wait to trade during the day, along with most of the market, you'll have greater control over the prices you'll get.
And, as I mentioned earlier, you likely aren't making the best decisions in the middle of the night... So, for me, I'll keep trading during the day.
Now, if you really want to gain an advantage, make sure to check out the latest breakthrough from Wall Street veteran Marc Chaikin. Marc is the founder of our corporate affiliate Chaikin Analytics. And with more than 50 years of experience in the market, he's an expert at spotting opportunities.
Marc recently revealed which stocks could soon be at the center of a huge Wall Street buying spree. If you know how to properly prepare for this "massive disconnect" coming to the U.S. financial markets, you could double or triple your money and protect yourself against giant losses.
Click here to watch Marc's presentation. Your portfolio will thank you.
Let's dig into the Q&A... As always, keep sending your comments, questions, and topic suggestions to feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com. My team and I really do read every e-mail.
Q: It seems like you wrote about some time ago, but I lost it. Where could I find it? Thank you. – R.M.
A: Thanks for your question, R.M. This is a topic too many folks don't think about or plan for until it's too late. We've written about how to prepare for a spouse's death here: The First Step to Preparing for This Worst-Case Scenario.
We also wrote about how to address the importance of dying peacefully here: Six Questions You Must Discuss With Your Family.
Q: I have been reading your health bulletin for years now and appreciate the contents.
My cholesterol seems to only go up no matter how healthy we eat or how much I exercise. What food or juice (pomegranate/bergamot) is available that can help me control LDL and triglycerides before taking statins? Cheers. – H.D.
A: Thanks for your longtime readership, H.D. Cholesterol – and the role your diet plays – is a complex situation. We've written a lot over the years about ways to lower your cholesterol without the use of statins. Below are some of our most useful issues...
The Cholesterol Myth
Enjoy Your Eggs
The Heavy Cost of Lipitor
The Lifestyle Change Most of You Must Make Today
Two Lifestyle Tips to Lower Your Cholesterol
For folks who have extremely high levels of cholesterol despite doing everything right, or who have a parent or grandparent who died early from a heart attack (at 50 years old, for instance), you should have your cholesterol checked. You could have familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetically linked high-cholesterol disorder, which is dangerous.
Normal levels of cholesterol run from about 180 to 220. Familial hypercholesterolemia is suspected when your cholesterol hits 350 or more. In that case... it's time to get your doctor's help.
What We're Reading...
- Did you miss it? The stocks you want to own following a Fed cut.
- Something different: What do horror movies and marmots have in common?
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
November 1, 2024