Tag: market down

  • How To React To The Stock Market Decline

    How To React To The Stock Market Decline

    How To React To The Stock Market Decline
    Dropping stock prices don’t have to be your enemy necessarily. Wealthy investors know how to react to dropping prices and how to find stocks that are good buys.

    When such an unpleasant event happens, the most important thing is how to react to the stock market decline. We have had many very dangerous situations in the stock market over the past several decades. Some investors were ruined, some survived and even more, they succeeded to grow their wealth. What did they do differently? How did they make it? Is there any rule about how to react to the stock market decline?

    The S&P 500 had the fastest 16% decline ever. We already wrote about the possibility of how coronavirus can affect the stock market badly. And it happened, coronavirus is a catalyst for investors’ fears. 

    This shakeout in stocks is motivated by the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus outbreak. We can be sure about that. A kind of support for this claim comes for the media, we are constantly under analysts’ opinion-fire and it is so easy to feel bad and frightened. But we have to do something! We have to protect our health in the first place but also we have to protect our capital invested. So, how to react to the stock market decline?

    Investors are fearful. Did you remember what the great value investor Benjamin Graham said for stocks?

    “In the short run, a market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine.”

    What does it mean? 

    This means that companies can be popular or not and that’s how markets are valuing them and fears can beat the market but in the short run. But in the long run, the market is assessing the substance of the companies, their underlying business performances. What really matters isn’t the media’s fickle opinion in the short run. 

    That makes up the stock market. Yes, we saw many cases of risks in the market but the stock market has a long history and had so many UPs on its way. So, what do we have to do NOW? How to react to the stock market decline NOW? Should we be fearful? Or maybe greedy?

    Millionaires are down on the stock market

    Some wealthy people are getting out form the stock market these days. Especially the millionaires. Some surveys reveal that investors’ confidence fell since economic conditions look like they’re worsening. The stock market strength is the factor that most changes their current investment plans. And as we know, the stock market declines.

    But there are some different examples of how to react to the stock market decline. While these investors mentioned above are getting out of the market some, also millionaires, see the opportunity. 

    Smart and reach investors are buying stocks

    They are getting in instead. Are they right? How can they see the opportunity in the declining market? Examining this was so exciting.

    Let’s say like this, the majority of average investors are not leveraged. That isn’t a disadvantage, we should look at that as a gift. If they have, and they have, available cash and enough to invest, they are putting it to work right now while the prices are cheap. Are they crazy? The others are going into cash. Well, we think they are not crazy, they are completely smart investors.

    Okay, here the explanation. 

    The major asset classes like stocks will grow over time. The advantage of buying now and holding stocks is that the value will rise faster than the value of the cash. What? Yes, the epidemic will stop one day sooner or later (sooner is better for many reasons), and everything will come to its place. The economy will recover and grow, and we will have a better place to live. Much better than we have now or we had before. Okay, if we are wrong, then we will have more important things to be worried about than the stock market is.

    Average investors should do the same

    As we said, the individual investor should buy now. Historical data shows that the global stock markets have an upward trajectory and the investments are going to grow over time. So, this theory is simple to understand. That is the philosophy of the richest investors. For example, Carl Icahn and many others. They are buying while markets sell-off on panic and uncertainty. Is that a recipe? It looks like that. This is an example of how to react to the stock market decline. The circumstances in the stock market like we have now are a great opportunity to buy stocks of high-quality companies since there are no fundamental reasons behind the market decline. Even if your stocks are going down, don’t panic! Don’t sell! Buy them more at a cheaper price. In this way, you will grow your wealth.

    How to react to the stock market decline

    Follow the example of the great Warren Buffett. What he did, how he reacted to the stock market decline?

    He advised, “being greedy when others are fearful.” 

    This kind of view while the market decline is a powerful advantage and the best investors have it. That is different, in contrast to what the majority of investors are doing. That’s why they are unique and rich. So, that attitude works. The point is to pick stocks that can outperform the market. Such stocks even when they have a double decrease, usually turn out and become winners. To make this clear, the stocks that have had bigger declines, had bigger final outperformance after they started to add their positions. That’s the fact according to a recent Harvard study. This study also reveals that wealthy investors choose stocks that exceed the wider market historically and they outperform by double figures. So, follow what really rich investors are doing and do the same.

    Pay attention to how to react to the stock market decline 

    When the stock market is down your stocks will drop, for sure. Some of your stocks will drop more, some less. But let’s assume you were a smart stock picker and you hold a stake in a stable company. But due to the market downturn, its stock dropped 30%. It was a good, steady company. What happens? This stock was one of the winners in your portfolio. Well, it happens due to the coronavirus outbreak now. The stock is down and the stock price decreased by 30%, let’s say. How much did you lose? Should you get out? If you don’t, how long and how much will it take to get back? If your stock decreased by 30% it will need to increase 60% to get back, to break even. This is just an example, remember that. So, since your investment isn’t problematic and you hold a stake in a good company, you can be pretty sure that it will recover after the market starts to rise again. Further, if you sell when the company is down, it is more likely you will miss out on a lot of money. Instead, find the sellers of that stock and buy more at a cheaper price. Just act as wealthy investors do. 

    Bottom line

    However, the stock market decline is stressful not only for the stockholders. The overall economy suffers. But instead of panic, try to use advantages. For example, you can reinvest your dividends and buy more stocks and double your holdings. Of course, the cash you have you can use to buy more stocks in some other company. This is a great opportunity, with less money you can buy more stocks at a cheaper price.

    If you need cash right now, you might have to sell your stock at great losses. But this can be a problem only if you invested all your money. If you put some of your money aside and saved it for rainy days, you are safe and can avoid this scenario. All you have to do is to follow what the best investors are doing. That’s how to react to the stock market decline.

  • How to Survive the Market Downturn?

    How to Survive the Market Downturn?

    How to Survive the Market Downturn?
    The global uncertainty due to the coronavirus outbreak forces investors to a smart allocation. Avoid companies with high debt, stay focused on the sustainability of earnings.

    By Guy Avtalyon

    How to survive the market downturn? We heard so many investors asking this. Boosting the concerns were profit warnings from the companies in Europe, the US, and all over the world. Everyone is talking that a key earnings target would take longer to meet. The reason is the coronavirus outbreak adds uncertainty in the main markets. Many well-known large companies plunged and had to mute growth for this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak. We are sure you are following what’s going one with that and also, we hope you are following WHO’s advice to protect yourselves.

    Our concern is how to survive the market downturn, what investors have to do now when the markets are down.

    Financial pandemic

    Asia Pacific markets dropped today (February, 28) due to fears about the coronavirus. These fears continue to urge a global sell-off.
    Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped more than 3% in today’s morning trading. South Korea’s Kospi and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200  fell more than 2% each.
    Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 2.7%, while the Shanghai Composite fell 3.4%.
    Also, we have a historic plunge in the markets in the US. Three major US indexes slipped into correction territory on Thursday. The S&P 500 had the worst day since 2011. The Dow sank 1,191 points, which is a drop of 4.4%. This was the worst one-day point drop in its history.
    Coronavirus appears as a ‘financial pandemic’.  The global oil benchmarks, US crude, and Brent crude fell Thursday lower by 3.4% and 2.3%.
    Even China search giant Baidu warned that revenue could fall as much as 13% in the first quarter and its core business could fall by 18% compared to the same time last year.

    How to survive the market downturn?

    So, the coronavirus has continued to spread, the stock market has started to feel the uncertainty. No one knows how this situation could affect companies over the world. Or investors. This epidemic like any other came suddenly and caused a shock to the global economy. As always, this situation lead (and it did) to great changes in the stock markets. Investors’ fears became a truth. And also, this led to panic selling.

    What a great mistake!

    Why do we think it is a great mistake? Okay, we all want our wealth to grow, not to vanish. These stock market ups and downs are hard to look at for all of us. That’s why it is so easy to be caught in emotions.

    Investors are frightened and worried and that can lead to panic. And panic can lead to quick and imprudent sellings. We want to help you to avoid this mistake that may cost you very much.

    Let’s take a look at an example that may help you to learn how to keep your hands off your investments. Especially now with a major market slide. Let’s say you entered this year with $100.000 in your investments. But it is the end of February and the stock market is dropping (You have the last data above) and let’s say, you already lost $10.000. Can you afford to lose an extra $10.000 if the market continues to fall? So, how to survive the market downturn? If you want to survive this storm your first thought might be to sell off, for example, mutual funds and move into the money market. That’s a mistake, that’s wrong. Don’t do that! The stock market can rebound. Yes, it will take a few months till then, at least two, but when it does that you’ll be able to recover your losses and gain more. So, don’t keep your money on the sidelines. Investors that did such a thing extremely regretted it.

    Try to separate your emotions from the investment decisions. One day, very soon, whatever looks like a disaster now, can be just a twinkle in your investing history. 

    How to survive the market downturn by keeping fears under control?

    Do you know a saying on Wall Street? It is something like: The Dow climbs a wall of worry. What does this saying want to tell us? Dow Jones will continue to rise despite economic downturns, pandemics, natural disasters, or any other catastrophes. That’s why we have to keep our emotions under control, our fears in check. This market correction just looks like a massive disaster but it is just one short period in the market’s cycle. 

    Well, how to tell you this? When some economic slowdown appears it is so normal for the stock market to go negative. For long-term investors that means nothing. They bought their shares at a low price when the market was down. So, consider if there is a buying opportunity. Always keep in mind the old maxim “buy low and sell high”.

    Reexamine your portfolio and your investment strategy instead of panic. Choose to be strategic with actions.

    What are the benefits of a declining stock market?

    The market is down, so what? Will it be a market correction? No one knows. What do we have to do? To stick to our investment plan and goals. Don’t damage your portfolio. 

    Investors turn into stocks when the market approaches new highs. When the market drops they are running away. So, what are they doing? Buying high, selling low? The consequence is that they have poor returns. Can you see the problem? It doesn’t have to be like that. Some investors know how to benefit from the market drop, how to survive the market downturn.

    Ways to survive the market downturn

    Firstly, they know how to recognize the problem, meaning they understand the essence of investing. With that knowledge, it is more possible to avoid unfavorable investment performance. So, learn! 

    If we sell out of fear when the market is down, we are actually generating minimal returns. At least, we should think about this before executing a trade on such occasions. The next step is to change our mentality, the way we think. For example, we all like when the price of electricity goes down, right? But we are not excited when the stock price is going down. Here is the catch! 

    How can money go further?

    It can be achieved if we buy more shares since the prices are lower. We can buy more shares even if the amount of money we planned for that stays the same. So, our money will go extra. Further, we can reinvest dividends. That can be a notable portion of our returns. We found some studies that show the dividends added 5 percentage points of the entire 7.9% returns of stocks. These studies cover the period from 1802 to 2002. So, if we want better returns we need to reinvest dividends.

    One of the benefits of a declining market is a chance to sell high and buy low but through rebalancing. This means we have to sell winning assets, the assets that increased in value, and provide money to buy assets at a lower price but with a good future perspective.

    Typically, bonds are better players in everyone’s portfolios, so sell them and go into stock funds. Analysts revealed that this only step in rebalancing can increase risk-adjusted returns, even up by 21%.

    Is the dropping market a good experience?

    A dropping market provides us priceless experience. Don’t underestimate this. That new knowledge will give us a valuable answer on how to survive the market downturn in the future. At least, we’ll be able to understand how we manage our emotions. That can be the core of our future investment goals. If we feel uncertainty about every small change in stock price, we should go into a safer investment. Maybe stocks are not for us. But if we enter the fight and end up with more winners, only the sky’s the limit. 

    We don’t like to guess if this will be a market correction or not. No one can do that, whoever tells that can predict the next stock market move, lies. We don’t know.  All we know is that the best way is to stay in your investment plan. This is smart trading!