A recent report by the research firm Dalbar found that the average equity fund investor earned a return of +20.8% in 2023. While this was a healthy gain, it was -5.5% less than the S&P 500's return—the 3rd largest underperformance gap in 10 years.

The report found that a key reason for this underperformance was that “investors tend to sell out of investments during downturns and miss out on rebounds.”

This behavior is extremely harmful to long-term investment success—and very common. Investors are human and emotional. When stocks soar, we often take on too much risk. When stocks plummet, we may pull our money out of the market completely.

Both of these reactions can severely impact long-term returns—and both are examples of attempting to time the market.

Our free guide takes a closer look at the destructive results of market timing and offers some common-sense ways to avoid the damage it can cause to your long-term investment strategies. You'll learn:

  • How Market Timing Can Impact Returns
  • How to Avoid the Market Timing Trap: 2 Steps
  • Bottom Line for Investors

If you have $500,000 or more to invest, fill out the form to get your free copy of this special guide today!

A Quick Word About Zacks

Zacks Investment Management has been helping investors meet their financial goals since 1992. Currently we are entrusted with billions in assets by investors just like you. These people turn to Zacks because of our ability to create customized portfolios with many top rated strategies by Morningstar.*

* These ratings were awarded by Morningstar on 7/1/2024 in respect of the period from strategy inception to 6/30/2024 (Inception Dates: All Cap- 2/1/1995, Focus Growth- 2/1/2003, Dividend- 4/1/2004, Mid and Small Cap- 5/1/2009). We do not compensate Morningstar to obtain this rating. However, we pay compensation to Morningstar to use their logo in connection with advertising this rating. Please see full disclosure at end of this document.