Stocks go up, stocks go down. Ahead of the Fed, the markets went up, in anticipation that the Fed would cut the interest rate, according to financial writers. After the cut, the markets plunged again because, the unnamed “investors” the financial writers attribute the herd behavior to were disappointed the cut wasn’t bigger. To me, so much of what the media insists on saying about the causes for stock movement seems like navel gazing. Do any of the writers query investors about their sentiments? Sure, they talk to analysts; do they even talk to brokers, or others who might hear something from clients? How about the investment staff at the pension funds and other big institutional investors? Even if they did, would people be able to clearly articulate why they sold, bought or offered at a price up or down? No, I don’t think so. It’s mind filler. Something to make it seem like somebody really can explain market behavior. Maybe it reassures some people that it is possible to figure this all out. I just laugh–and stay diversified.