• Subscribe
  • Log In
  • Home
  • Daily Diary
  • Asset Class
    • U.S. Equity
    • Fixed Income
    • Global Equity
    • Commodities
    • Currencies
  • Sector
    • Basic Materials
    • Consumer Discretionary
    • Consumer Staples
    • Energy
    • Financial Services
    • Healthcare
    • Industrials
    • Real Estate
    • Technology
    • Telecom Services
    • Transportation
    • Utilities
  • Latest
    • Articles
    • Video
    • Columnist Conversations
    • Best Ideas
    • Stock of the Day
  • Street Notes
  • Authors
    • Bruce Kamich
    • Doug Kass
    • Jim "Rev Shark" DePorre
    • Helene Meisler
    • Jonathan Heller
    • - See All -
  • Options
  • RMPIA
  • Switch Product
    • Action Alerts PLUS
    • Quant Ratings
    • Real Money
    • Real Money Pro
    • Retirement
    • Stocks Under $10
    • TheStreet
    • Top Stocks
    • Trifecta Stocks
  1. Home
  2. / Investing
  3. / Stocks

'Decrypting' 2021 and Looking to the Future

I spent as much time in crypto as I did stocks in 2021, and now we're all getting an 'emotional reset,' so let's look ahead to 2022 with clear eyes.
By TIMOTHY COLLINS
Dec 31, 2021 | 03:40 PM EST

I know, most folks usually look at the Thanksgiving holiday as the time to reflect upon what they are thankful for and I don't disagree with that; however, I find myself doing it more at the end of the year than when I'm stuffed with turkey.
 
This year has definitely been more challenging for trading than 2020 was, although it was a pleasant change to see life return to a little more normalcy. We still have a ways to go before we get back to pre-Covid life, if ever, but 2021 has been an improvement in that area. And the indexes seemed to enjoy the year, as well. As many have discussed, individual stocks struggled in many arenas, but the winners were big winners and did the heavy lifting.
 
Overall, I spent as much time in the crypto markets and non-fungible token markets, as I did in the stock market. It was much easier to find success there in speculative ventures. If I had to compare it to anything, it would be the special purpose acquisition company moves in the summer and fall of 2020. Granted, the NFT market has evolved so quickly, we've already gone through the SPAC like collapse of 2021, and it is on to something new. In 2022, I don't anticipate that market to go away. In fact, I think it will offer some of the best speculative opportunities but also epic disasters.
 
Much of what we're seeing in that market is simply adaptations and twists on what we see in the equity markets. The whole concept of drops, tokens, derivatives, and DAOs is eerily similar to dividends, spinoffs, partnerships and hedge funds, and things of that nature. A mint is simply an NFT's version of an initial public offering. Now, people are buying teams rather than pictures of cartoon animals. I've talked about it as a digital country club, but many have evolved into full-fledged businesses. I understand if this market doesn't fit your risk profile. It fits only the most speculative of risk tolerances; however, if your resigned to think of these markets as "right-click-save" or "Beanie Babies," then you're letting your bias cloud what is actually happening.
 
As we head into the new year, remember to keep an open mind and let yourself start fresh. Take the lessons of 2021 to heart, embrace your successes, and hold your head high no matter how you came out of the past year. Use the emotional freedom changing the last digit of the year provides. After all, we don't get many emotional resets like next week offers.
 
Until next year, have a safe and enjoyable weekend.
 
Get an email alert each time I write an article for Real Money. Click the "+Follow" next to my byline to this article.

At the time of publication, Tim Collins had no position in any security mentioned.

TAGS: Investing | Stocks | Cryptocurrency

More from Stocks

Move Over Target and Walmart, Costco Gets the Gold Star

Stephen Guilfoyle
May 28, 2022 7:30 AM EDT

I had a bit of money -- and ego -- riding on Costco coming into earnings. It didn't disappoint.

A Rally Driven by Fear (of Missing Out)

James "Rev Shark" DePorre
May 27, 2022 4:28 PM EDT

What's next after this seesaw week? One thing is for sure: More volatility.

Let's Take Nikola for a Spin. And Then Return It

Mark Sebastian
May 27, 2022 2:56 PM EDT

I wouldn't want to own NKLA, but I could see riding it for a few days.

3 High-Yield Retail Stocks With Attractive Valuations

Bob Ciura
May 27, 2022 1:30 PM EDT

Here's the bull case for three retail stocks that offer low valuations and high dividend yields.

Here's How to Wrangle JPMorgan, the '800-Pound Gorilla' of Banking

Brad Ginesin
May 27, 2022 1:27 PM EDT

The financial services giant just held its first investor day in three years -- let's open the vault and see what's inside.

Real Money's message boards are strictly for the open exchange of investment ideas among registered users. Any discussions or subjects off that topic or that do not promote this goal will be removed at the discretion of the site's moderators. Abusive, insensitive or threatening comments will not be tolerated and will be deleted. Thank you for your cooperation. If you have questions, please contact us here.

Email

CANCEL
SUBMIT

Email sent

Thank you, your email to has been sent successfully.

DONE

Oops!

We're sorry. There was a problem trying to send your email to .
Please contact customer support to let us know.

DONE

Please Join or Log In to Email Our Authors.

Email Real Money's Wall Street Pros for further analysis and insight

Already a Subscriber? Login

Columnist Conversation

  • 10:58 AM EDT JAMES "REV SHARK" DEPORRE

    This Weekend on Real Money

    "The Tremendous Power of the Sell Button"
  • 02:46 PM EDT STEPHEN GUILFOYLE

    We're Shedding Some of This Holding on Strength

    Check out the Stocks Under $10 portfolio here!
  • 11:33 AM EDT PETER TCHIR

    Thoughts Ahead of the Fed Minutes

    Recent economic and earnings issues are convincing...
  • See More

COLUMNIST TWEETS

  • A Twitter List by realmoney
About Privacy Terms of Use

© 1996-2022 TheStreet, Inc., 225 Liberty Street, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10281

Need Help? Contact Customer Service

Except as otherwise indicated, quotes are delayed. Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes for all exchanges. Market Data & Company fundamental data provided by FactSet. Earnings and ratings provided by Zacks. Mutual fund data provided by Valueline. ETF data provided by Lipper. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions Group.

TheStreet Ratings updates stock ratings daily. However, if no rating change occurs, the data on this page does not update. The data does update after 90 days if no rating change occurs within that time period.

FactSet calculates the Market Cap for the basic symbol to include common shares only. Year-to-date mutual fund returns are calculated on a monthly basis by Value Line and posted mid-month.

Compare Brokers

Please Join or Log In to manage and receive alerts.

Follow Real Money's Wall Street Pros to receive real-time investing alerts

Already a Subscriber? Login