For the everyday investor it is the bigger picture that matters and not media and market noise. Markets are moving constantly as news and information is built into prices. Sentiment is buffeted one way, then the other. Millions of participants make buy and sell decisions based on news or their own individual requirements.

The job of media and market analysts frequently boils down to creating plausible narratives around often disconnected events so that it all appears seamless. Then the next day, they start all over again. For a broker or journalist, whose horizons are in minutes, this approach to markets makes sense. But for investors with long-term horizons, second and third guessing money decisions based on the news of the day is unlikely to deliver sound results.

A better approach is to work with a trusted advisor in building a diversified portfolio of assets supported by a client centred investment philosophy tailored for your needs and risk appetite. The portfolio is set and rebalanced to match your requirements and not according to what is happening in the markets. Tactical asset allocation can sound tempting, but there is always a risk that the news overtakes you. Then you are left having to change everything all over again.

As a wise man once said, running inside a moving bus won’t get you to your destination any quicker!