CandleFocus

Correction

A correction is a major decline in the price of a security, asset, or financial market which exceeds a 10% reduction from their previous peak. Corrections are incredibly common in the stock market and other financial markets and can last from a few days to months, or even longer. While in the short-term corrections are incredibly damaging, they also provide important benefits to the financial markets.

If an asset’s price has increased dramatically, there is a strong possibility that the asset has become overvalued. That’s when corrections come in – they help to reset prices by cooling off a heated market. With a decreased demand caused by the decrease in asset prices, it allows more investors to enter the market at a more affordable entry point, providing them an opportunity to invest which they may not have had before.

Likewise, corrections also provide another buying opportunity for existing investors who aren’t in it for the long haul. This opportunity enables investors to ‘buy the dip’, which is when they purchase an asset when it’s priced lower than it should be, giving them a better margin of return.

Corrections also allow for a more balanced and stable market. For example, when there are continuous, sudden surges in stock prices, these increases can often be marked by speculative buying and pumping, causing the market to become muddled with confusion and instability, leaving investors unable to make sound judgments. Corrections create an environment of much needed stability and moderation, allowing for more calculated and informed buying decisions.

One major disadvantage to corrections is the fear many investors feel. After witnessing a significant drop in the asset’s price and the destruction of market value, investors may be hesitant to move forward with investment options, even if it presents improved prices. This decision can often cost investors, who in turn become reluctant to invest and buy into the market again.

Overall, while corrections may generate temporary destruction of market value and decrease investor confidence, they also offer additional value. Corrections play an important role in the financial markets, providing investors with lower and more affordable entry points, contributing to market stability, and creating buying opportunities.

Glossary Index