There was more selling going on among amateur traders last week than buying. And remember that, every day, the Footsie (news) rose during this period.

I am relying on the returns of just one broker when I make the above pronouncement, but it is a big broker, and theres no reason to believe that others in the same line of work did not see a similar trend.

The fact that more private dealers sold than bought in a rising market fills me with pride. Somebody out there knows what they are doing.

Its best to sell when prices are high. Its not such a good idea to sell once they start to fall. This is a general statement, of course. There are times when you should certainly sell when an individual shares starts to drop away. Especially if they do it when all around it are on the up.

But its also a good idea to sell as prices rise. That way you lock in a profit. You have not made a gain at all, remember, until you sell. And while you hold a winning share, there is always the possibility it will turn into a loser.

The fact that more sells are made when the Footsie is on a roll may surprise you. But top dealers know that its the unexpected that makes the money in Crazytown.

If something happens that is downright predictable the money has probably already been made by someone else. You are probably too late – and climbing on bandwagons late can sometimes leave you with a broken axle to contend with.
If a share rises strongly in price, you might want to sell. You may not feel like it, because you fear that price will rise after your sale. But its sometimes worth selling into a bull market, than selling in some small panic in a bear market. Rock on.