Retail investors consistently fail at market timing, selling before rallies and buying before corrections, which traps them in losses rather than capturing long-term gains

"Portnoy's comments underscore a familiar struggle of most market participants in volatile markets: The persistent difficulty of precise entry and exit timing. Scores of traders often sell before rallies and buy before corrections, trapping themselves on the wrong side of the market and watching what could have been long-term gains turn into repeated frustration."