Inflation and omicron are weighing on markets. Here’s what to keep in mind – CNBC
The “Charging Bull” statue at Bowling Green in New York’s Financial District.
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As the U.S. stock market is whipped by rising inflation and the new omicron covid-19 variant, investors may be wondering what to do with their money.
Many experts have a simple answer: nothing.
On Tuesday, stocks slid for the second day in a row after yet another indicator showed rising inflation. The November producer price index, which measures wholesale prices, rose 9.6% on the year, a record pace and faster than economists anticipated.
The S&P 500 slumped more than 1% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 1.73%. The Dow fell about 100 points after initially opening higher.
In recent weeks, markets have gyrated on fears of the omicron variant as well. Initially, stocks dipped as the new variant took hold and later regained lost ground when data showed that the strain leads to milder illness than other forms.
While volatility can be troubling for investors, experts caution against any hasty selling when markets fall. In addition, slumping stock prices can be a prime buying opportunity that investors should take advantage of.
Volatility is the norm
All investors should accept market volatility — which is relatively common — as a normal part of the process of investing and the best way to outrun inflation, said certified financial planner Brad Lineberger, president of Carlsbad, California-based Seaside Wealth Management.
“Embrace the volatility, because it’s why investors are getting paid to own stocks,” he said.
This means investors should stay calm even through extreme movements. Even though stocks always move up and down, long-term market returns are still based on the same things: dividend yields, earnings growth and change in valuation, according to Zach Abrams, a CFP and manager of wealth management at Shaker Heights, Ohio-based Capital Advisors.
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Movements up and down can also be a good time to review your asset allocation. If you’re worried about a big drop, you could rotate part of your portfolio into some less-risky stocks to protect from a potential market correction, which is a drop of more than 10%.
Volatility can present opportunities
When stocks fall, it can also be opportunities to buy more and set yourself up for future gains, according to Abrams.
This is because when stocks fall from recent highs, they’re trading at …….