Yo-Yo

Slang for a very volatile market. A yo-yo market will have no distinguishing features of either an up or down market, taking on characterstics of both. Security prices in a yo-yo market will swing very high to low over a given period of time, making it difficult for buy and hold investors to profit.

Yo-yo markets can, however, be profitable environments for astute traders who are able to recognize buy and sell points and make trades before the market reverses. The name comes from the movements of a yo-yo, where security prices continually go up and down; a yo-yo market moves like its toy namesake.