You certainly are correct, it is very close to gambling.
However, there is a small percentage of people who know how to study the market dynamics, indicators and sentiments and take most of the risk out of it. At this point, it no longer depends on luck, like much of gambling does, and thus it no longer is gambling, (at least in my mind), but educated and very calculated decision making on how to make a profit and KEEP THAT PROFIT, protecting investment capital for the next money-making decision.
When these people study the available information and hone their skills, they can do quite well on very consistent basis. Often much MUCH better than the people who have the attitude that the only way to make money in the market is by long-term "investing". THAT "investing" attitude has gotten a whole lot of people's life savings taken away from them, just as the case can be made that many people lose a load by trading. A person has to decide what is the right approach for the situation you are in at the time, and for your personality type. (If I could whisper that word, I would.)
I find it quite interesting to watch those that know how to read market sentiment accurately make their decisions, and I appreciate when they share their thoughts, both when they are profitable and when they make mistakes. AND I would never berate them for their mistakes because above all, I prefer honesty about what you are doing, and admitting mistakes is one way of being honest. That would be like berating someone for having held Enron or Worldcom as an investment, it was a mistake and we all make them whether our selected technique is trading or investing.
