Topic: How To Invest

What is Pat’s commentary for the week of May 20, 2014?

Article Excerpt

If you meet a large number of investors over a large number of years, it may seem they come in two basic categories—one inclined toward value investing, the other more interested in growth. This may be due in part to their early life experiences. Value investing—trying to buy assets at bargain prices—has natural appeal for those who grew up in strained economic circumstances. Growth investing—trying to identify and buy rising stocks when they have further growth ahead—seems to appeal more to those who grew up in prosperous households. Of course, having too much money early on can handicap an investor. Some investors have confided to me that they “had it too easy” in their early years. They felt this stopped them from developing that key investor attribute we often talk about, a healthy sense of skepticism. When they began investing in their middle years, they tended to be too trusting, even gullible. This can be a major obstacle to investment success. However,…