historically expensive valuations<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n\n It\u2019s essential for investors to maintain a well-diversified portfolio with target allocations for each asset. An example of a classic portfolio includes 60% stocks, 30% bonds, 5% commodities like gold and 5% cash.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cKeep a diversified portfolio, rebalance when positions get stretched and continue investing on a disciplined schedule,\u201d Gagne said.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cIf one part of your portfolio has ballooned, consider trimming back to your target allocation rather than making wholesale exits,\u201d he said. \u201cThis keeps gains aligned with your long-term plan while taking some profit off the table.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/gettyimages-2233776930.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Younger investors, who have time to make up for any market dips, can probably stand to have more in riskier assets like stocks; investors nearing retirement, who might need their money sooner and likely don\u2019t have the same time to compensate for a market downturn, should have more more in bonds and cash-equivalents like Treasury bills.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cMake sure that you\u2019re in an investment strategy that aligns with your financial goals,\u201d said Ryan Kenny, portfolio manager at Crestwood Advisors. \u201cOne that\u2019s predicated on quality and diversification and being in something that allows you to ride out the volatility that it is inherent in markets.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n Dollar cost averaging, when investors buy stocks at consistent intervals over time, can also help smooth out market ups and downs.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cThat\u2019s a good way to give yourself a discipline and not get kind of swept up in the heat of the moment,\u201d said Tim Thomas, chief investment officer at Badgley Phelps Wealth Managers.\n <\/p>\n
\n Timing the market by predicting where stocks will go is an exceptionally rare skill \u2014 and doing it consistently over long periods is even harder. For the vast majority of investors, staying put is much better than trying to sell or buy at peak opportunities.\n <\/p>\n
\n The S&P 500 has rallied 30% since April. Investors who sold in the market panic that month missed out on those monster gains.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cTiming the market successfully requires being correct twice: 1) knowing the right time to exit and 2) the most opportune time to reenter,\u201d said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research. \u201cInvestors are better off reminding themselves of the speed with which the market tends to recover from declines.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n History shows that the S&P 500 tends to rise in the long-term, rewarding investors who stay in the market. Since World War II, it has taken an average of four months from the bottom of a decline of up to 20% to get back to breakeven, Stovall said.\n <\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ap25098087677473.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n \u201cThe investors who focus on time in the market, not timing the market, are the ones who have the most success investing,\u201d Gagne at Claro Advisors said.\n <\/p>\n
\n As with all things in investing, there is no one-size-fits-all. Each person has their own financial goals and tolerance for risk.\n <\/p>\n
\n But whatever your plan, it\u2019s important to stick with it consistently.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cIt\u2019s really important to keep emotions out of it and have a system that\u2019s repeatable no matter what\u2019s going on in the market environment,\u201d Thomas of Badgley Phelps Wealth Managers said. \u201cJust keeping a level head is the key to success.\u201d\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New York \u00a0\u2014\u00a0 It\u2019s been a whirlwind year for investors. Stocks are hovering near record highs, but volatility…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":238535,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[28,112],"class_list":["post-238534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-markets","tag-business","tag-markets"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238534"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238534\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/238535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}