Do a Google search on the phrase “wall of worry,” and you’ll find about 370,000 hits on the exact phrase. So what is it?
A wall of worry is the long list of reasons why stocks shouldn’t continue to climb. Put differently, the wall of worry is all of the reasons investors should sell stocks. Stocks are said to “climb a wall of worry.” The chart below is a common one you’ll find accompanying stories on the web about the wall of worry.
The reason I think this happens is because by the time the reasons are known, they’re already priced into the market. If you’re interested in learning more, check out an earlier post about the wall of worry and skittish investors.