Finance:Don't fight the tape

An 1892 drawing of a ticker tape machine

Don't fight the tape is a term used in finance. It means do not bet or trade against the trend in the financial markets, i.e., if the broad market is moving up, do not bet on a downward move. The term "tape" refers to the ticker tape used to transmit the price of stocks. It is analogous to the trader's maxim, "The trend is your friend."

See also

• Dead cat bounce
• Market sentiment
• Market trend