What's happening today?

(Update at 9:30 AM CDT. OK. My hour is up. What happened? The QQQ is up 0.04 percent. Still no direction, in my mind.)

Well, if I knew the answer to that question, I'd be a billionaire. 

But in all seriously, we can look at certain things and maybe make an educated guess. My guess the market will open lower today. 

Market futures in the S&P 500 (ES), the NASDAQ (NQ) and the Dow (YM) are all showing weaker openings to the underlying indexes. The blue line represents the last close. So you will how ask me how much lower? How in the he frak should I know? 

I don't normally trade until after about the first hour anyway unless something just jumps right off the page, and that doesn't happen often. Let the crazies have their fun first.

Here's the NASDAQ (as represented by the QQQ) AT 8:03 AM CST. Note that all this can turn faster, one way other the other, at a moment's notice. That's what makes it fun. Unless it doesn't for you, then I have another, more sedate way for you to invest. 

Buy ETFs on the broad market and wait 30 years and then have your money run out in before you die. Or turn your money over to an advisor, who will collect frees and do no better. I haven't found one yet who can claim to beat the market.  The last one "guaranteed six percent". A monkey could do better. Read a "Random Walk Down Wall Street" if you don't believe me. SIX PERCENT!!!! Even my wife, who doesn't know anything about money, rolled her eyes. 

Any way, back to the chart as of 8:03.

Yesterday I wrote about using trends as your friend, until there are not. Today I'll start of the rest of the steps that might make you a better investor. Maybe 10 percent of you. The other probably won't follow the rules, based onstatistical studies.

Armed with a little knowledge and the right behavior, you can beat 90 percent of financial advisors all on your own. 

Be that guy.