Finance & Banking
Dollar-Cost Averaging or Timing the Market: Which Works Better?

For retail traders, a elementary query emerges: Must you attempt to time the market to purchase low and promote excessive, or make investments constantly no matter market circumstances?
Greenback-cost averaging (DCA)—investing equal quantities at common intervals no matter market circumstances—is extensively championed by monetary advisors as a disciplined strategy that reduces threat and emotional selections. “Greenback-cost averaging into high quality investments—suppose ETFs [exchange-traded funds], blue-chip shares, and even undervalued sectors like utilities or well being care—could be highly effective,” Stoy Corridor, CEO and founding father of Black Mammoth, advised Investopedia.
In the meantime, trying to purchase at market lows and promote at highs doubtlessly maximizes returns however requires precision that even skilled traders battle to attain. As volatility shakes the markets, understanding which strategy higher serves your monetary objectives is essential.
Key Takeaways
- DCA, a technique of investing mounted quantities at common intervals it doesn’t matter what, tends to match or beat many market-timing methods.
- Market timing makes an attempt to purchase at market lows and promote at highs however requires precision that even skilled traders battle to attain constantly.
‘Time within the Market’ vs. ‘Timing the Market’
Traders are sometimes break up between these searching for “time in the market” (looking for positive aspects from long-term investing) versus these making an attempt to “time the market” (these shopping for the dip and so forth).
“To determine your type, take note of how you are feeling throughout totally different market conditions,” Yvan Byeajee, writer of Buying and selling Composure: Mastering Your Thoughts for Buying and selling Success, advised Investopedia. “By reflecting on these emotional responses and aligning them together with your technique, you will begin to outline a method that matches you finest, which implies that your selections will really feel extra pure and efficient.”
DCA gives a constant routine with out tough selections throughout turbulence. David Tenerelli, a monetary advisor at Values Added Monetary, mentioned that for extra folks making an attempt to time the market is a “folly.” However that does not imply DCA is all the time simple emotionally. “It takes self-discipline to proceed to buy investments during a market downturn,” he mentioned. “A shift in mindset might help—slightly than fearing monetary loss, an investor can reframe it as shopping for shares ‘on sale.'”
DCA’s largest downside seems throughout sturdy bull markets, the place early lump-sum investing would yield increased returns—assuming you had each the cash available and foresight to time it proper. “Overlook making an attempt to ‘time the underside,'” Corridor mentioned. “No one is aware of when that hits, not even the so-called specialists.”
Market timing sounds interesting in principle—purchase low, promote excessive, and maximize returns. Nonetheless, executing this technique efficiently requires predicting market actions with outstanding accuracy, a feat that even skilled traders hardly ever obtain constantly.
What the Analysis Tells Us
Researchers have in contrast how totally different methods would have carried out over time.
Analysis within the Journal of Monetary Points, which analyzed 30 years of S&P 500 information, in contrast DCA towards three market timing methods. Over this era, DCA produced a 254% return, outperforming market timing approaches (whose internet returns ranged from 227% to 252%). Solely a theoretical “good foresight” technique—assuming not possible market prediction talents—constantly outperformed DCA, with a 289% return.
Different research totally different intervals present extra nuance. Galaxy Asset Administration crypto and S&P 500 fund information from 2007 to 2024, discovered DCA popping out forward for each sorts of property. “Greenback-cost averaging simplifies investing, mitigates emotional biases, and infrequently delivers higher outcomes than shopping for the dip, even in excessive market eventualities,” it concluded.
Different researchers have discovered that modifying DCA—say, by trying to purchase extra shares at market lows—can present extra advantages than market timing or DCA alone. This occurs to match, in truth, what many traders already do: observe DCA whereas setting apart a small share to “play the market.”
The Backside Line
Whereas market timing would possibly sometimes produce nice outcomes, DCA affords a extra dependable path for many traders, significantly these investing for long-term objectives like retirement. By decreasing the impression of market volatility in your funding selections and making a disciplined funding behavior, this technique helps overcome the psychological boundaries that usually forestall long-term progress.
Finance & Banking
Aflac Says ‘Sophisticated Cybercrime Group’ Accessed Customers’ Personal Data

Key Takeaways
- Aflac mentioned its community was hit by a cyberattack on June 12 that affected an unknown variety of prospects.
- Probably impacted information embody social safety numbers, well being and claims data, and extra, the corporate added.
- Aflac is the newest insurer to be the sufferer of a cyber crime this month.
Aflac (AFL) mentioned Friday that its community was hit by a cyberattack that affected an unknown variety of prospects’ private data.
The supplemental insurance coverage supplier mentioned on June 12, it “recognized suspicious exercise on our community in the US” and “stopped the intrusion inside hours.” Whereas the corporate did not supply an estimate on the variety of affected prospects, it mentioned probably impacted information embody social safety numbers, well being and claims data, and extra.
“This assault, like many insurance coverage firms are at the moment experiencing, was attributable to a classy cybercrime group,” Aflac mentioned. “This was a part of a cybercrime marketing campaign in opposition to the insurance coverage trade.” The attacker used social engineering ways, which contain manipulating people reasonably than hacking pc methods, the corporate added.
Different insurance coverage companies have skilled related current incidents. Erie Indemnity Firm mentioned it recognized a data safety incident earlier this month, as did Philadelphia Insurance coverage Corporations.
Shares of Aflac dipped in premarket buying and selling Friday however reversed course and had been up 1% in current buying and selling. They’re close to flat for 2025.
Finance & Banking
Trump Extends TikTok Ban Deadline, Again—What You Need To Know

Key Takeaways
- TikTok has one other 90 days to be bought or banned within the U.S., after President Trump signed an government order Thursday extending the deadline.
- A deal was reportedly shut forward of an earlier April deadline, earlier than Trump’s tariffs on Chinese language items introduced the talks to a halt.
- Trump reportedly stated he believes Chinese language President Xi Jinping is receptive to agreeing to a deal for TikTok to be bought to an American firm or group of buyers.
TikTok received one other lifeline on Thursday, as President Donald Trump signed an government order extending the deadline till a U.S. sell-or-be-banned legislation goes into impact.
After Trump issued a pair of 75-day extensions following his inauguration in January and again in April, TikTok mother or father ByteDance has one other 90 days—till Sept. 17—to comply with promote the social media platform to a U.S.-based proprietor or be banned within the nation.
Trump instructed reporters on Air Power One Thursday that he believes Chinese language President Xi Jinping is receptive to agreeing to a deal for TikTok to be bought to an American firm or group of buyers, NBC Information reported.
TikTok Is ‘Completely Assured in a Decision’ to Authorized Points
TikTok stated in a press release that it’s “grateful” for Trump’s resolution, and stated it would “proceed to work with” the administration to resolve the state of affairs. Khartoon Weiss, the corporate’s vice chairman of worldwide enterprise options, stated TikTok is “completely assured in a decision” throughout an promoting convention in France this week, in response to The New York Occasions.
Trump’s authorized authority to proceed delaying the ban deadline is unsure. Within the Supreme Court docket’s resolution upholding the legislation banning the app, the justices famous that the legislation handed by Congress “permits the President to grant a one-time extension of not more than 90 days with respect to the prohibitions’ 270-day efficient date if the President makes sure certifications to Congress concerning progress towards a certified divestiture.”
Forward of an earlier deadline in April, reviews emerged a couple of vary of potential patrons, from Amazon (AMZN) to numerous teams led by buyers like Reddit (RDDT) co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Trump stated on the time {that a} deal was shut, however the escalating commerce warfare with China following his April 2 tariff announcement introduced the talks to a halt, in response to the Related Press.
Finance & Banking
Will the Fed Cut Interest Rates Soon? One Official Thinks So.

Key Takeaways
- Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller instructed CNBC that the Fed might reduce rates of interest as early as its subsequent assembly.
- Waller stated he didn’t anticipate a spike in inflation from tariffs, and an rate of interest reduce on the subsequent assembly might assist stabilize the labor market.
- President Donald Trump has been crucial of the Federal Reserve for not slicing charges, placing strain on Chair Jerome Powell to behave.
Perhaps the Federal Reserve will reduce rates of interest extra shortly than buyers suppose.
Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller instructed CNBC on Friday that he didn’t consider inflation would rise considerably underneath President Donald Trump’s tariffs on U.S. buying and selling companions. Waller stated the Fed might reduce its key federal funds rate as early as its subsequent assembly in late July.
Fed officers have hesitated to chop the fed funds charge from higher-than-usual ranges to this point this yr. They are saying they’re ready to see if retailers passing along the cost of Trump’s tariffs to clients will reignite inflation.
Nevertheless, Waller pointed to lower-than-expected inflation data and other positive trends in economic growth resembling a gentle unemployment charge.
“I believe we’ve room to deliver [the fed funds rate] down, after which we are able to see what occurs with inflation,” Waller stated.
What’s Subsequent For the Fed?
Earlier this week, the Federal Reserve’s coverage committee held its influential interest rate on the identical degree it has been at since December. Not one of the 12 voters, together with Waller, supported a reduce.
Projections released Wednesday indicated Fed officers could also be break up on what comes subsequent. Multiple-third of the committee forecast no charge cuts this yr, whereas an analogous variety of members anticipate they will reduce two or extra occasions. Three extra Fed officers believed they would not reduce charges in any respect this yr in comparison with the final time the committee printed projections.
Most buyers consider the Federal Reserve will proceed to carry rates of interest at their present degree subsequent month. The CME FedWatch Software, which initiatives the route of rates of interest primarily based on buying and selling of Fed funds futures, signifies buyers are pricing in solely a 15% probability the Fed will reduce charges when it meets on July 30.
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