There are billions and billions of dollars at work under the hood of the stock market every trading day that few people see or consider.
From so-called target date funds that systematically invest money for their clients’ 401k’s, the U.S. equivalent of RRSPs, to Commodity Trading Advisors (CTAs), who deploy derivatives to trade using momentum, to Volatility Control Funds, which attempt to smooth out market volatility using systematic, programmed strategies.
Then you’ve got the explosion in the use of zero days to expiration (0DTE) option contracts, which can whip the market around in sometimes unexpected and turbulent ways.
Add in the always present risky and occasionally maniacal behaviour of some investors and you’ve got a recipe for bursts of market volatility and unpredictability.
So, has the investing game changed forever due to these factors?
Or does a slow and steady approach of buying strong, market-dominating, well-managed companies still win out over time?
John and Don give their views in the seventh and final part of our video investment series.
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