U.S. stocks are bouncing back after the market experienced its worst day in two years on Monday, but the average investor may still be understandably spooked. Over a three day losing streak, the S&P 500 dipped more than 6% before rallying again Tuesday, up 1.6% in midday trading. “This is what an emotion-driven market looks like,” said Mark Hackett, head of investment research for Nationwide. “You had a three day period that was really very challenging. But the drop was not justified by the data that was out there, which is why you then have a day like today.” For everyday people, what are the best ways to handle market volatility? The top advice is to do nothing, but ultimately your response depends in part on your circumstances and financial goals. What to do in general “It’s important to remember that investing in the stock market is a long game. There’s going to be volatility, so be wary of having a knee-jerk reaction and pulling your money out at the first sign of a drop,” said Courtney Alev, consumer advocate for CreditKarma. “Selling stocks frequently or incrementally can come with fees for each transaction and those can add up fast.” Caleb Silver, editor in chief of Investopedia, echoed this, cautioning that sellers may also end up owing taxes on any gains. “For everyday investors, volatility is the price you pay to be invested in the stock market,” Silver said. “But it’s very unsettling when we see big market drops of two to three percent… It’s a little unnerving for people who have their money in 401(k)’s or IRA’s or retirement funds to watch this magnitude of volatility.” Silver urged investors to remember that “a market falls into a correction, ten percent or more, once a year on average,” and that “usually the market reverts to the mean, and the mean is an average annual return of eight to ten percent a year going all the way back to the 1950s.” What to do if you’re a young or new investor For younger people just beginning to invest, declines in the stock market are an opportunity to add to your portfolio at cheaper prices, by buying in when the market is falling or has fallen a lot, according to Silver. “You’re reducing the average price you pay for the securities, stocks, mutual funds, or index funds that you own (when you buy in a down market),” he said. “So when the market itself reverts to the mean and rises again, you take advantage of having bought at cheaper prices, and that adds to the value of your portfolio.” In terms of selling, though, he said the best advice for most investors is to do nothing and wait for the volatility to cool down. What to do if you’re near retirement “Whenever you invest in stocks it’s important to be mindful of your time horizon,” said Alev. “For instance, do you expect you’ll need to liquidate in the near future? In that case, you’re likely better off opting for a less volatile and more risk-averse mode of growing your money, such as a high-yield savings account.” Silver agreed. “I don’t believe it when people say, ‘Don’t look at your 401(k),’” he said. “You should absolutely look and see what you own and see that it […]