Are we in a bear market? Technically, No. Those who consider themselves experts on the topic of choosing these words call what we have been experiencing a correction.
Bear markets require a market decline of more than 20%. Think of January this year as a little baby bear cub. If it stays alive long enough, it could become a full grown bear. But if it runs into a predator – a wild bull for example – it might be toast before it ever had a chance. So what are the odds the little cub grows up? Well, there have been 87 such corrections since we have the data to track them from the mid-1920s. There have been far fewer bear markets – 11 or so. These are not good odds for the little guys.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that the seasoned investor will act the same way, regardless of the outcome. Here is your winning strategy in a nutshell:
1. Owning equities at all times—staying in the market!—is the right thing to do.
2. Diversifying them so that you don’t have all of your eggs in one basket is your first task. We have already done this for our clients.
3. Rebalancing your portfolio to match your prudent mix on these dips and subsequent highs is your only required action at times like these. Even then, rebalancing is required only if you see a 2% variance in your distinct asset classes. We do this for our clients as well.
So, if you work with us already, we are doing all of the above for you. You are tasked with remaining disciplined and attending events like the upcoming presentation in April. And you are always welcome to call and talk with your coach.
If you are not yet a client and you have less than peace of mind about such matters, you also are welcome to attend these events. We’ll be building your peace of mind slowly through investor coaching.
See you on April 22nd.