You Can't Always Trust Statistics

In today's Masters Series, which originally ran in the September 26, 2022 Weekly Market Outlook issue, Greg explains why it's crucial for folks not to rely strictly on data to guide their investment decisions... compares the recent uptick of hedging by institutional traders with the hedging seen during the 2008 financial crisis... and details why investors should expect today's volatility to be prolonged... [Stansberry Research Logo] Delivering World-Class Financial Research Since 1999 [Stansberry Master Series] Editor's note: [Numbers don't always tell the whole truth](... The markets have plummeted over the past year due to out-of-control inflation and rising geopolitical tensions. Some desperate folks have refused to flee stocks in hopes of earning massive gains once the downtrend reverses. But history shows this decline could last much longer than folks think... That's why Ten Stock Trader editor Greg Diamond says it's critical for investors to prepare for this bear market to last much longer. In today's Masters Series, which originally ran in the September 26, 2022 Weekly Market Outlook issue, Greg explains why it's crucial for folks not to rely strictly on data to guide their investment decisions... compares the recent uptick of hedging by institutional traders with the hedging seen during the 2008 financial crisis... and details why investors should expect today's volatility to be prolonged... --------------------------------------------------------------- You Can't Always Trust Statistics By Greg Diamond, editor, Ten Stock Trader I have a confession to make, and it might change the way you think of me... I'm a New York Jets fan. If you're familiar with football, that might have made you chuckle. If you don't like football, you probably don't care. But I'll explain how sports relate to what's happening in the market – whether or not you like football. Now, I'm not a sports "fanatic" in the true sense of the word. I like sports, have played sports, and think sports can teach valuable life lessons. But I won't paint my face or watch every game. The truth is, the older I get, the less sports I watch. With a demanding job and two little kids, there's only so much time to go around. And watching my football team lose consistently year after year isn't exactly how I want to spend a few hours each Sunday. But what I'm going to explain in today's essay combines sports statistics and market statistics. And I'll show you why you shouldn't always trust what you see in either... On September 18, 2022, I was out with my family and knew the Jets were playing against the Cleveland Browns. I happened to check the score and saw the "win probability" for each team. Simply put, this is the statistical probability of a team winning. It's based on certain criteria that a computer or algorithm applies throughout a game... As you can see, the Browns were favored to win throughout most of the game. In fact, the "win probability" hit 100% with just a few minutes left in the game. That's when I checked the score. I figured it would be another loss for the Jets, and I would just get on with my day. But beyond probabilities and statistics, there's a "human element" that computers, analytics, and algorithms just can't calculate... Never giving up. The game isn't over until it's over... --------------------------------------------------------------- Recommended Link: [The ONLY Stock You Need for 2023]( Greg Diamond is giving away the name of his No. 1 stock for 2023. You could have already doubled your money six times with this stock using his strategy, which dates back to 1876. It's how Greg managed up to $900 million a day on Wall Street, where he booked an average profit of $155,000 per day. [Click here to learn the ticker]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The Jets scored a barrage of points within the last few minutes of the game and pulled off a miraculous win. That's great... But what does it have to do with the markets? It comes down to the same principle – that beyond the calculations, the human element can take you by surprise... On September 9, 2022, investment research and analytics firm SentimenTrader highlighted the chart below. It noted extreme readings in hedging positions (when institutions buy put options) for the past 20-plus years... Looking at this chart, you can see that the panic-hedging in early September was three times more extreme than the one in 2008 (the height of the financial crisis). Now, the contrarian trader or investor would think this is an easy trade... by buying stocks or call options. When the crowd is bearish, it pays to be bullish. It's what we expect with a rally. But that's not what happened. Take a look at the S&P 500 Index from January through September 2022... As you can see, the S&P 500 is in a bear market. The black dashed line marks lower highs within that downtrend. I've highlighted this simple analysis throughout 2022 in Ten Stock Trader. The record hedges from traders (marked with the red arrow) were followed by a small rally... before stocks kept declining. So what's the takeaway? Sometimes the crowd is right. As the saying goes – especially in sports, but also in the market – some records are meant to be broken. And in almost every new bull or bear market, it happens all the time. Last year was no different. The bear market isn't over until it's over (just like a football game). And despite what appears to be a record number of short positions and sour sentiment, the trend could remain in place longer than some think. The statistics can be misleading. As a contrarian investor, you're usually going to make good trades when the statistics and probabilities are in your favor. But that's not always the case. As with everything in the market and investing, nothing is guaranteed. Looking ahead, I'm expecting more volatility and new lows in the majority of technology stocks. Best, Greg Diamond --------------------------------------------------------------- Editor's note: Greg believes this ongoing downtrend doesn't mean we can't find bright spots in today's market. He says we're on the verge of a breaking point. And folks who aren't prepared could be left behind... In fact, Greg recently hosted a free online event to reveal how a rare upcoming market event could give you the chance to double your money 10 different times. Plus, you'll get the ticker symbol of his No. 1 investment for 2023. [Click here to watch the full replay](... --------------------------------------------------------------- Recommended Link: [Man Who Predicted Lehman Crash Makes New Warning]( He said to short Lehman Brothers in 2008 for a near-perfect 82% return. He called the exact day the market topped in 2021. Now, he's stepping forward again with a critical warning for 2023... including why you must move your money by January 31. [Click here for the details](. --------------------------------------------------------------- You have received this e-mail as part of your subscription to Stansberry Digest. If you no longer want to receive e-mails from Stansberry Digest [click here](. Published by Stansberry Research. You're receiving this e-mail at {EMAIL}. Stansberry Research welcomes comments or suggestions at feedback@stansberryresearch.com. This address is for feedback only. 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