Recent Market Volatility

Well, have the Markets settled down again?  I honestly don’t know.  In 30 years of business, the markets have never really settled down in my opinion.  “Settled down” to me means a straight line in an upward trend on an ongoing basis.  Bbut markets don’t behave like that.  They are constantly moving up and down, but hopefully with a general trend upwards over the longer term. These up and down movements are called market volatility.

While market volatility can be nerve-racking for investors, reacting emotionally and changing long-term investment strategies in response to short-term declines could prove more harmful than helpful. By adhering to a well-thought-out investment plan, ideally agreed upon in advance of periods of volatility, investors may be better able to remain calm during periods of short-term uncertainty.

Investments involve risks. The investment return and principal value of an investment can (will!) fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original value.  Over the longer term, that redemption is hopefully more rather than less.

Many Investors look at how Funds have performed in the past.  Do, however, be aware that past performance is not a guarantee of future results.  And you should also be aware that there is no guarantee that strategies will be successful.