The events of the past few weeks have taken a toll on stock markets worldwide, resulting in a significant pullback over the past several days. How should you react to fluctuations in the market?

As the mainstream media emphasize dips in the stock market, keep in mind that your fund managers continually monitor your savings and optimize their strategies to address changing economic conditions. You can always reach out to your advisor to talk this process through. Occasionally, situations of this type can represent an opportunity to achieve your goals more quickly.

Some tips to guide you through times of economic uncertainty:

• Ignore market noise
  Losses on shares only materialize when you succumb to panic and sell off your positions.
• Stay focused on the long term
  When bear markets do occur, they are intense and short-lived. Over the long term, the current volatility will pass. Downturns, corrections and even bear markets are normal features of stock market cycles.
• Avoid panic selling
  Investor overreaction is typically motivated by fear and is responsible for the biggest investment mistakes. If you have any questions about the current situation, talk them through with your advisor and take another look at your investor profile and portfolio. Your advisor is a professional who is capable of combining an understanding of your goals with a comprehension of market realities.
• There are bargains on the markets
  As the legendary Warren Buffet once said, "Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful."

The current virus isn't the first and won’t be the last.

Four other events have raised global health concerns over the past 20 years. In each instance, an initial period of panic is followed by concerted action undertaken by world governments and a gradual return to normal. As this graph demonstrates, the effects of these unfortunate episodes fade over time:

If you have any questions, talk them over with your advisor.

LBC Financial Services firm team Inc.