If you invested in stocks with only one letter in their stock symbol, you would be invested in 24 very diverse stocks.

[pilgrim73]

For example, your portfolio would be invested in:
A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,V,W,X,Y,Z.

A being Allegiant Technologies, B being Barnes Group, etc. Its 24 instead of 26 because the letters J and U don't have stock symbols. All stocks tend to be similar, so this strategy would probably work very well.

Here's a visual if your still confused:

http://finviz.com/screener.ashx?v=111&t=A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z

 

[ilsepmb]

@pilgrim73

All stocks tend to be similar, so this strategy would probably work very well.

I feel that calling this a 'strategy' is a bit overshooting it.

 

[rudolph]

@ilsepmb The only strategy being to maintain and memorize a portfolio of exactly 24 stocks with as few characters as possible.

 

[childofthecross]

@rudolph this is no more a strategy than letting your toddler pick your holdings for you.

 

[annamarie6991]

@childofthecross Strategy or no strategy, this will probably outperform most experts.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...ng/9971683/Monkeys-beat-the-stock-market.html

 

[vnct0000]

@annamarie6991 I wouldn't say 'probably.' But, 'as likely' to beat the market as experts. Or do as well as experts. The whole point is there isnt really a reliable way to significantly beat the market. 'Probably' suggests otherwise.

 

[pilgrim73]

@annamarie6991 Thank you. The stock market is impossible to predict, so random stocks are no different than stocks picked by experts.

 

[annamarie6991]

@pilgrim73 Don't thank me.

I'm just another monkey.

 

[childofthecross]

@annamarie6991 Lol no

 

[resjudicata]

@childofthecross Well, it is 'slightly' better than that, because there is still a kind of rule that only large and important coporations, or 'deep settled, been around long' companies get single letter symbols. These are coveted by corporations. So if they give away the here missing 'U', they will rather give it to Unilever than to Ugur&Brothers Kebab Shoppe.

This means that he isn't randomly pulling stuff, but preselected things in a way. And it's not as badly preselected as a toodle drooled together picking would present.

 

[childofthecross]

@resjudicata it's random. if you want to put parameters on it you can do that with the toddler too. this is complete bullshit.

 

[resjudicata]

@childofthecross It's not random how letters are assigned. Single letters go to very big corporations. At least he isn't betting on one-trick ponies with this preselection.

 

[childofthecross]

@resjudicata it's as random as the toddler scenario.

you're missing the point. the point is this is a completely bullshit method of selecting stocks. it doesn't take anything into account other than the symbol which is completely arbitrary.

 

[resjudicata]

@childofthecross It preselects big corporations to randomly select from further. Compared to a toddler who could pick pink sheets. Can't happen here.

 

[childofthecross]

@resjudicata again, what's to stop me from only putting sp500 listed companies in front of the toddler?

this is completely beside the point. stop arguing semantics.

 

[resjudicata]

@childofthecross I am sorry you didn't know that tickers are not randomly assigned.

 

[resjudicata]

@childofthecross Sorry I like to diversify my Pampers

 

[melody5697]

@pilgrim73 Someone should make this an etf

 

[shayla22]

@melody5697 Too bad alphabet is taken

 

[resjudicata]

@shayla22 soup