What hinders profitability?: Surmounting behavioural challenges in the stock market

When prices fall, investors might panic and make impulsive decisions. This fear-driven behaviour often leads to missing out on potential rebounds and long-term growth opportunities. Photo: Rajib Dhar

The stock market has always been a gateway to wealth and fortune. With the potential for high returns, many investors are enticed by the idea of making profits through stock trading. However, despite carefully selecting the right stocks, many investors cannot turn a profit. This can be attributed to behavioural setbacks, particularly greed when prices rise and fear when prices fall. 

Investing in the stock market requires knowledge and analysis. However, it also involves managing emotions and psychological biases. Greed and fear are two primary emotional drivers that can hinder an investor's ability to make profits.

Greed is a powerful force that can cloud judgement and lead to poor decision-making. When prices rise, investors often become overly optimistic and believe the trend will continue indefinitely. This mindset can push them to buy more shares or hold on to existing positions longer than they should, hoping for even greater profits. Unfortunately, this irrational exuberance can result in inflated prices and ultimately lead to loss when the market corrects itself.

Fear also plays a significant role in the stock market. When prices fall, investors may panic and make impulsive decisions driven by a fear of losing money. This fear-driven behaviour often leads to selling stocks at a loss or completely exiting the market, missing out on potential rebounds and long-term growth opportunities.

To overcome these behavioural setbacks, investors should develop a solid investment plan. A well-defined investment plan serves as a roadmap, guiding decisions and reducing the impact of emotions. It should include specific entry and exit points for each investment and a clear risk management strategy. By sticking to the plan, investors can avoid impulsive decisions driven by greed or fear.

Patience and discipline are also crucial. Instead of chasing quick profits, investors should focus on long-term growth and value investing. Developing discipline means setting realistic expectations and avoiding impulsive trades based on short-term market fluctuations.

Diversification is another essential risk management technique. By spreading investments across different sectors and industries, investors can reduce the risk associated with any single investment. This can help alleviate the fear of losing everything if one investment does not perform as expected.

Educating oneself is paramount in the stock market. Understanding investing principles, market dynamics and financial analysis gives investors the confidence to make informed decisions and reduce emotional reactions.

Setting profit goals is essential as well. Investors can determine a certain percentage as their profit goal and avoid feeling disheartened if the price continues to rise. 

Buying a stock at a heated price can lead to wrong decisions. The investors can avoid succumbing to greed by sticking to the profit goal and considering selling a portion of the holdings or implementing trailing stops to protect gains.

Similarly, setting loss limits is essential. Investors should establish a certain percentage at which they will sell a stock if it falls below that threshold. Having a predefined exit point limits potential losses. It can also help avoid fear-driven decisions. 

Holding onto a declining stock indefinitely in the hopes of a rebound should be avoided.

Embracing a long-term perspective is a crucial characteristic of successful investors. Instead of focusing on short-term market fluctuations, they concentrate on the overall trajectory of their investments. Understanding that the stock market is inherently volatile and prices will fluctuate over time allows them to remain patient and ride out the market's ups and downs.

Seeking professional advice can also benefit investors struggling with managing their emotions and making profitable decisions. Financial advisors can provide objective guidance, help navigate market complexities and control emotions.

While the stock market offers the potential for significant profits, investors often struggle to capitalise on this opportunity due to behavioural setbacks. Greed and fear can cloud judgement and lead to poor decision-making, resulting in financial losses. 

However, investors can overcome these behavioural challenges by developing a solid investment plan, practising patience and discipline, diversifying portfolios, educating themselves, setting realistic profit and loss goals, embracing a long-term perspective and seeking professional advice when necessary. By managing emotions and making rational decisions, investors can position themselves for success in the stock market and work towards achieving their long-term financial goals.

Tanzina Ahmed Choudhury is the Head of Capital Market Research and Portfolio Management at SBAC Bank Investment Limited.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.