The idea is that by selling off holdings in May and then buying back in Aug/Sept, that you miss the summer doldrums when stocks may trade down due to decreased activity. I read an article a while back that said this strategy is not right all the time (but then what strategy is right ALL the time) and really if you factor in trading costs and dividends when applicable....that it doesn't prove to have much of an advantage, if any at all....you can miss big runs by being out of the market if the bulls start running in the summer.

But the idea behind the strategy has a certain degree of logic to it.

I've often thought that the best time to attract retail investors into high flyers is either in the early fall, Sep/Oct or in the spring. Basically that means running stocks up in Dec/Jan or July/Aug, and then have retailers come in and pay the higher prices.

Of course I formed that opinion back before everyone was connected 24/7 pretty much anywhere they go with our laptops, tablets, smartphones etc. Even on vacation now, people can stay connected.

And thank goodness for that, because over the next few weeks that's going to be me, first with some day trips and then heading down east. I'll still be keeping an eye here, but not as OCD as normal :-)