Let me take a shot at it barmarty. First I will say factually that the only investors losing money are those that sell while a company is down and those that hold out until a company goes belly up. This is where research and due diligence based on that research come into play. Confidence is as different as the faces of every investor and each person places their confidence as they see fit, whether as to gain or loss. Obviously, if your confidence is that a company will fail, you move on to another investment where your confidence is toward the success of the company and it's members' efforts. Pretty basic common sense derived from one's own research and due diligence. Only the face belonging to the confidence can decide what they feel is the fate of that investment. Hype and news. Sure, there's both. The news and the actual steps of the company. Their "about" blog, their agenda and their mission. All to be considered and decided upon by the face of confidence. Then the hype. A company is no company that doesn't sell its efforts and goals. Here the face of confidence sorts, determines and decides. Between fact, fantasy and falacy. The company's opinion and the face's stand alone. There is nothing else to pull from but research and due diligence. What is the company selling and how much of it is the face of confidence willing to buy when measured against the history and status of the company? It's clear, some folk ought not be in the stock market at all. Others, only in the time tried, tested and true stable portion of the Street. Then there are those willing to lose it all for the potential high risk offers. Lastly, there is a well-managed space between the stability and the risk. Advice is not recommended as to any of these criteria. The face can only stand where it alone decides to stand. Even I disclaim any portion of this blog to be relevent to anything to do with investing or life in general. I recommend nothing and advise in no direction. One's money and the use of it is one's own responsibility and his own boon or regret.