Blackcurrant tea

I used to like blackcurrant tea (a traditional black tea with blackcurrant flavour). It became our drink of habit in the morning. Didn’t even think about it, just part of the getting up routine. We’d dabble with other teas occasionally but we always came back to blackcurrant tea. That’s the way it was for years. 

The other day I decided I was over it. Didn’t want blackcurrant tea anymore. I’d been enjoying Scottish breakfast more with the occasional blackcurrant thrown in. I looked at the blackcurrant tea caddy and thought, no, don’t think I’ll have that again. Just doesn’t do it for me. 

I’m your market. For a long time I have a particular preference which you meet beautifully. Then my preference starts to change and one day, you’re not even one of my top 3. 

Don’t take it personally. You weren’t wrong when you were my blackcurrant tea. And there’s nothing wrong with your blackcurrant tea – it’s very nice blackcurrant tea. It’s not you, it’s me. I know I should still like blackcurrant tea, but there you go, I don’t. It’s not right or wrong, it just is. 

I’m a market: I’m often stupid, but I’m never wrong. 

Your options: find someone else who would like blackcurrant tea. Try to sell me on lapsang souchong. Most important, move on. 

Here’s the thing: the market’s preferences in a boom period like we’re entering now are different even from its preferences a few months ago when the economy was forecast to pick up but hadn’t actually started. It’s like applause in a crowd: it goes from standing ovation to nothing in a matter of seconds. How does everyone know to stop clapping? Market sentiment is the same. Impossible to explain, but must always be understood.