The stock market's biggest bear calls out a huge investing mistake that could have 'brutal consequences' — and explains how it will cause the next market crash

collected by :Haron Adler

as informed in To novices, it's frequently used as a simple barometer of when an investment gets overextended. Conventional wisdom there suggests once valuation gets stretched too far, it might be time to sell. Piggybacking off the Iron Law, he points out that as prices have surged, people still seem ... Sponsored: If you enjoyed reading this story so far, why don't you join Business Insider PRIME? Simply click here to claim your deal and get access to all exclusive Business Insider PRIME benefits.

China dethroned by Japan as world's No. 2 stock market

An intensifying trade spat with the U.S. just led China to cede its four-year title as the world's second-largest stock market to Japan. After a Thursday slump, Chinese equities were valued at at US$6.09T, losing out to Japan's $6.17T, while the U.S. remains the world's largest with a market cap of $31T. The Shanghai Composite Index has lost more than 16% YTD to be among the world's worst performers, while the yuan has fallen 5.3% against the dollar. ETFs: FXI, DXJ, EWJ, KWEB, ASHR, FXY, YINN, CAF, YCS, EWH, CQQQ, YANG, MCHI, GXC, CYB, FXP, PGJ, CN, KBA, TAO, CHIQ, HAO-OLD, CHIX, TDF, QQQC, CNY, PEK, CHN, DFJ, DBJP, CWEB, CXSE, JYN, CHAU, XPP, CNXT, JOF, ASHS, AFTY, JPNL, DXJS, CHAD, FCA, YAO, YXI, HEWJ, JEQ, YCL, GCH, EWV, EZJ, SCJ, JPXN, FXCH, ECNS, CHIM, CHII, DXJR, CHIE, KFYP, DXJF, EWHS, JFC, FCHI, JPN, OBOR, ASHX, CNYA, JHDG, DXJH, FHK, HAHA, JPMV, XINA, FJP, CNHX, DXJT, HJPX, QJPN, DEWJ, DXJC, GSJY, KGRN, HFXJ, JPNH, DDJP, BBJP, DJPY, FLCH, FLHK, FLJH, FLJP, UJPY, WCHN

Just try to find a stock market year like 2018, because you won't

according to This year has already been remarkable for the stock market because the moves seen in 2018 are unlike any in the past, according to an analysis by Bespoke Investment Group. The most similar year to 2018 in the stock market is 1942, with a correlation coefficient of just 0.533, Bespoke found. The S&P 500 is up more than 4 percent year to date but it has not been a smooth ride. The S&P 500 has had 36 days where it rises — or falls —at least 1 percent. Market volatility has spiked this year as investors grapple with a number of different factors combining to make this year quite unique.

Only 23% of millennials prefer investing to cash—here's why they're skeptical of the stock market

Millennials are hesitant to invest in the stock market, according to a new survey from Bankrate: Only 23 percent of those aged 18 to 37 say that the stock market is the best place to put money they won't need for 10 years or more. There's a good reason so many millennials are hesitant to put their savings into the stock market: Many have seen investments collapse. Bankrate also posits that younger people prefer cash because it's hard to imagine owning funds they won't touch for decades. "Millennials may avow a love for cash because they are in such desperate need for it," the report says. And although the stock market can be volatile, history shows that investing almost always pays off: Over the past 90 years, the average annual return for the S&P 500 is over 9 percent.

Here's how much money you could be losing by avoiding the stock market

Keeping so much money in the bank could mean missing out on the potential rewards that come with investing that money. "People keep money in cash because they want something that's guaranteed," says Erik Davidson, Chief Investment Officer at Wells Fargo. Here's how to get started:Open a retirement accountIf you have access to an employer-sponsored retirement account, that's the easiest way to begin investing in the stock market. Of employers who offer a retirement plan, 76% will match some of your savings. Stay the courseWhile the stock market has been marching steadily upward for nearly a decade, it's going to fluctuate.