Every summer, thousands of investors repeat the same error. Markets grow more volatile, headlines trumpet sudden swings, and numerous people rush into buying or selling at precisely the wrong moment.

Paul Denley, CEO at London-based Oakham Wealth Management, said: “Summer markets can be deceptive. With many professional investors away on holiday, it takes less buying or selling to move prices around. That means markets can look much more dramatic than they really are.”

The notion that markets quieten over summer isn’t novel. The traditional saying captures this succinctly: “Sell in May and go away, come back on St Leger Day.”

Rather, he argues wealthy investors grasp the distinction between market noise and genuine investment opportunities. He continued: “They don’t let scary headlines force them into making emotional decisions. They focus on the quality of the companies they own, not what the market happens to be doing on a Tuesday afternoon in August.”

According to Mr Denley, among the most significant errors regular investors commit is presuming every sharp market movement signals something crucial has shifted.

He explained: “In reality, summer price swings often happen because fewer people are trading. Prices can move more sharply, but that doesn’t necessarily tell you anything about how healthy those businesses really are.”

As the holiday period draws to a close and investors head back to their desks, markets frequently become influenced more by corporate earnings and economic data rather than quieter summer activity. Mr Denley maintains that’s precisely why seasoned investors seldom restructure their portfolios during the summer months.

He said: “Successful investing isn’t about reacting to every headline. It’s about sticking to a well-thought-out plan and remembering that short-term market swings are often just noise.

“The wealthy don’t try to outsmart the calendar. They know patience usually beats panic. If nothing has changed about the businesses you own, a volatile summer isn’t usually a reason to change your investment strategy.”