For those following the stock market on a daily basis, taking another antacid is not going to help with the kick in the gut investors have just taken. There was so much red, it looked like a parade in Tiananmen Square. The Bears are saying, Hold on some more. The Bulls are saying, Now we have a great buying opportunity. So who is the driving force in our markets? Neither one, it is actually a third group, the Baboons.

With the Federal Reserve saying there wont be an increase in interest rates until mid-to-late 2015, plus decent company profits and financial reports, a strong dollar, and declining gas/oil prices, why is the market acting so crazily?

It is the Baboon effect.

Thats what I call it when the Bears and the Bulls rattle the cage in order to stir up something that doesnt exist.

The Bears and the Bulls both need the market to move because they cant make any money if it stays flat for too long. Since the beginning of the year, many stock prices have moved less than 3% either way. This isnt helping the Bears who are waiting for things to fall. This also isnt helping the Bulls who are betting things will keep going up so in come the Baboons.

As Baboon investors, and I do include myself in this group, we have no problem going along, minding our own business, enjoying a steady return on our money and generally leading a peaceful, happy, uneventful life.

Then one day an intimidating Bull with horns pops up on our shoulder and says, You need to spend money to make more money.

Then a fearsome Bear with big teeth pops up on the other shoulder and says, Pull your money out, and save it for another day.

Both are so relentless with their advice that soon the Baboons become afraid. In an effort to try to please everyone, the Baboons pull money out of places they shouldnt, and begin to toss it everywhere, generally making a mess of the market.

The moral of the story: Dont listen to the experts (unless they are publishing my articles, then they must know what they are doing). Dont be foolish with your money; invest in good solid companies for the long term. Dont watch the stock market daily. Dont let anyone rattle your cage so that you make panicked decisions. Baboons have a life expectancy of nearly double that of bulls or bears, so just relax and enjoy a long, happy life.