The stock market has seen a decrease of more than 20% in recent months, and investors are wondering if it will go down further. Stock market crashes occur periodically and for a variety of reasons, such as excessive market valuations after a prolonged bull market or external events that exceed other fundamental factors that traditionally drive stock market performance. After briefly exiting “bear market territory”, the S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite indices fell back to that level and reached their lowest points of the year in September. Market volatility also remains high.
Explanations for the most serious market declines are often easier to find after the events. In early 2000, an extended bear market began, which persisted until early 2003, following in the footsteps of a long-lasting bull market. The most notable factor behind this significant decline in stock prices was the bursting of a stock market “bubble” in technology stock prices, in particular for some early-stage dotcom companies, when investors stopped paying higher prices for companies with little or no profit. Eric Freedman, U.
S. Chief Investment Officer at Bank says it's important to maintain an adequate perspective on the environment. He warns that markets are likely to remain volatile. However, it urges investors to maintain a long-term perspective.
What are the critical factors at play that could affect the timing of the stock market recovery? Freedman emphasizes that it is essential to have a plan that helps inform your investment decision-making, especially in times like these. Consult with your wealth planning professional to ensure that you are comfortable with your current investments and that your portfolio is structured in a manner consistent with your long-term financial goals. Diversification and asset allocation do not guarantee profitability or protect against losses. Knowing your investment objectives and your risk tolerance helps us to diversify your portfolio with a combination of stocks, bonds and real assets.
At this point, investors have become accustomed to temporary bear market rebounds, followed by even more severe losses. Nearly half of the trading days have seen the S&P 500 move up or down above 1%, indicating a higher level of volatility. In the middle of the month, the S&P 500 plummeted by more than 13% over the course of 10 days, in a defeat that could have been shocking under more normal conditions. But these are not normal times for markets.
As expected, inflation is still the tail that moves the dog in the markets. But something has changed, and it largely comes down to perception. Consider how the Federal Reserve's stance on inflation has evolved. Last year, Fed officials said inflation would not be a problem.
The Fed then promised that it would be “transitory” and began to launch a “soft landing” for the economy, even as rates rose, and now they warn that more economic problems lie ahead by doing what is necessary to control inflation. Market participants have been slow to catch up with the party line and that is reflected in enormous volatility. Strong inflation will not die out in October and there will be no Fed meeting until November. Still, October should offer valuable clues about the pace of growth and whether the Federal Reserve's aggressive strategy will boost the U.
S. UU. Retirement planning, budgeting and suite of free wealth management tools will be important factors to consider when looking at whether or not stock markets will go down further. The September market performance was a wake-up call for many investors, especially when the August Consumer Price Index (CPI) report showed that inflation had not reached its peak.
According to Cliff Hodge, chief investment officer at Cornerstone Wealth, investors can expect similar volatility around the release of monthly inflation readings in October: “Inflation remains the most important thing” he says. David Schassler, director of quantitative investment solutions at VanEck will look at “the most rigid forms of inflation, such as food and housing prices” in the next CPI report. While one-month data isn't likely to move the needle significantly, he says this report is No. Even so, high inflation is unlikely to decline significantly, let alone return soon to the Federal Reserve's target of a 2% rate in the near future, Schassler warns.
