I am quite confident in my forecast for 2018. To be fair, it was the same forecast I had in prior years and will likely be the same forecast in future years. Why wouldn’t I keep it the same…it has an overall accuracy very close to 100%. Here is my forecast for 2018:
You may be frustrated that my forecast because it doesn’t say anything about where the market will go or what sector to invest in. Sorry to disappoint - none of us has any real idea what the market will do in the future. But understand that in my 25 years advising clients, I have learned that the best results are obtained by those who have the discipline to ignore the distractions and stick with the plan we have developed. PLUS: I like to be a little "cheeky" - no harm in that. To illustrate my point, here are some really great :) forecasts from last year:
Why are forecasts so Alluring? Our attraction to forecast is largely subconscious. It boils down to how the brain likes to operate. Our brain is a planning machine; it finds much contentment and peace in being able to plan. When we don’t know what the future holds, we can’t plan with certainty. This bothers our brains. So, we subconsciously, seek some sort of certainty. And forecasts, especially confident ones, provide an illusion of certainty. We are subconsciously attracted to forecasts even though we consciously recognize that forecasts historically have not been very accurate. (No kidding!) We fix this problem by giving greater weight to forecasts that (1) confirm what we want to happen (2) are more confident than others. But these don’t improve the accuracy, just our perception of accuracy. There is a fun video on the "Mind Games" page that talks about consensus and how "accurate" the forecasts for 2017 were not. Check it out. I really hope that 2018 is a prosperous, fulfilling and happy year. I don't know what the market will bring to us this year, but I do know that I'll be there to help you navigate whatever it is. Joan M. Gilles, CRPC, CLU, ChFC The views stated in this letter are not necessarily the opinion of Cetera Advisor Networks LLC and should not be construed directly or indirectly as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Due to volatility within the markets mentioned, opinions are subject to change with or without notice. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Past performance does not guarantee future results. |

A reliable forecast for 2018
