Sell in May and Go Away: 5 Better Investing Tips

The historically strong six-month stretch for the market has just ended, and the beginning of May kicks off the weak six-month span of the year. Thus, it's time for Wall Street to mull one of its most well-worn investing tips: "Sell in May and go away."

But while this axiom is somewhat supported by a careful crunching of the historical numbers, for most long-term investors, it's bad advice.

The History of "Sell in May"

The roots of the adage, and the recognition of the results that inspired it, aren't entirely clear. It's believed to have as "Sell in May and go away, and come on back on St. Leger's Day," but not for market-timing reasons. Rather, it was brief advice offered to London's well-to-do crowd looking to escape