[Guvante]

The main point of the efficient market hypothesis is that the average investor won't consistently beat the market average.

Also note that most of the people beating the efficient market hypothesis aren't doing the kinds of transactions they are being compared to.

Can you really compare moves like bailing out Coca Cola to buying and selling stocks based on market estimates you derive?

[jbooth]

If the efficient market hypothesis is confounded by moves like bailing out Coca Cola, what good is it?

[infinite8s]

The efficient market hypothesis presumes that you can't affect the performance of the market (except possibly the shirt term price action). Bailing out Coca Cola presumably entails gaining enough control to drive the future directin of the company.