3 ms·
If you don't have a clue, then staying in cash is probably your best option. John Hussman has a nice article on the option value of cash. https://www.hussmanfu
by mellavora 6y ago
If you don't have a clue, then staying in cash is probably your best option.
John Hussman has a nice article on the option value of cash.
https://www.hussmanfunds.com/comment/mc201201/ https://www.hussmanfunds.com/comment/mc201201/
tldr:
Suppose I offer you a security that will pay $100 two days from today. You can buy as much of it as you like today at $50, or you can wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow, I’ll flip a coin. If it’s heads, I’ll sell you the security at $99. If it’s tails, I’ll sell you the security at $25. What should you do?
Clearly, if you buy the security today, you’ll double your money two days from now. That’s a 100% expected return for each dollar you invest, over that 2-day period. If you wait, you’ll earn nothing on the first day, but you’ll then have two possibilities. If heads, you’ll get just 1% on your invested money. If tails, you’ll get a 300% return, quadrupling your money. With a 50/50 chance at each, your expected return for every dollar you invest is 0.51% + 0.5300% = 150.5%. So waiting adds 50.5% to your expected return over that 2-day period.