American Financial Proverbs

A proverb "expresses a basic behavioral truth in a rather universal metaphor." (Deproverbio.com)

Some are applicable only to the American market, while others pertain to investing in general and could apply internationally. They may or may not be true, as a little warning! Most countries and cultures have their own proverbs.

These are a few of my favorite anonymous well-known proverbs I've heard many times, although there are many, many more and another post will have financial quotations. It’s an interesting area to research. Please send in your suggestions and attributions and this post will be updated.

Buy when the blood is running in the streets.

Buy low, sell high.

Bulls make money. Bears make money. Pigs get slaughtered.

Don’t try to catch a falling knife.

Buy on the rumor, sell on the news.

Sell in May and go away (not true this year!)

The trend is your friend.

Sell your losers and let your winners ride.

Don’t fight the tape.

The trend is your friend.

Buy when there is blood in the streets.

Think big. Think positive. Never show any sign of weakness.

Now is always the most difficult time to invest.

Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.

The last one is definitely British.