Waning interest in stocks

If I'm right, a lot of traders or investors will soon generally lose interest in the stock market for quite some time. At least, that's what history suggests. From my various readings of market movements in the past, I think there's a fair chance of this happening.

Stocks have been going nowhere for the past 12 years, nominally. In real terms, it has plunged. Investors and traders alike keep on hoping for the stimulus from money-printing to keep stock prices elevated. True, in times of massive inflation, stock prices will go up, but they generally do not keep up with increases in the prices of real goods. Even Warren Buffett's real wealth has been cut substantially in the past 12 years, even though his nominal wealth has doubled in the same time. And true, if one is a good short-term market timer, he/she can try to trade. But most people will just lose money doing this.

When people realise that their stocks are not gaining nominally, or are gaining nominally but not in real terms, they will look elsewhere - most probably into commodities. Right now it is unimaginable that people will lose interest in stocks, but I think that day will come. When that happens, I may probably wait for a few months or years of pessimism in stocks, before entering the market. It doesn't mean that when things hit bottom that there will be a bull run right away. It normally takes a few years for years or decades of excesses to clear out first.