Sharing Our Thoughts: Five Behaviors to Embrace When Markets Whipsaw Since the early fall, stocks have taken investors for a wild ride. In the age of the 24-hour news cycle, it is natural to feel that with all of this uncertainty, investors "should be doing something." We believe that this volatility is just another line on the market chart of history, and therefore, the best action to take is to do nothing at all. However, we realize that staying the course is not always easy Here are five things to do when volatility strikes to keep from turn ing minor discomfort into an actual problem. Stop... Resist the urge to react. Not all corrections or volatile periods end in bear markets; there have been 22 market corrections since 1971 and only five of them have turned into bear markets. In our cur- rent environment we have ample liquidity in the financial system, healthy corporate earnings, and an economy that is still growing Wait... We believe it pays to be an agonizingly patient investor, Stay focused on your long-term goals instead of on short term volatility. Expected earnings for 2019 should materialize in the first quarter and geopolitical areas of uncertainty will likely become clearer, which will help set the tone for the remainder of the year. Uncer tainty contributes to volatility; in the event we can temper the uncertainty, things will settle down. s on things you can control. Mak e sure your financial plan is up to date and that you are saving enough to stay on track with your goals. Studies have shown that in many situations, your sav- ings rate can be a larger determinant of reaching financial goals than short-term rates of return. It is important to keep investing during periods of volatility, especially when markets are down and stocks are inexpensive. Trust... It is very helpful to work with a financial advisor who under stands the financial markets, watches the markets closely and who proactively determines the best course iven the current environ- Remember... When volatility spikes, it can be easy to think that another 2008 2009 is just over the horizon, but the environment we face today is not the same as the environment we experienced then. During that time, we were worried about the health of the markets and long-term economie issues. Our primary concern today is making sure that investors stay the course and keep their long-term goals top of mind. We work diligently with clients to make sure they are not react ing to market volatility and that they remember to focus on the signal instead of the noise. Fundamental indicators such as long term earnings growth are still the primary drivers of equity prices and returns, While technology has amplified the amount of market noise, it has not changed the signal. The Andriole Group in team of investment professionals registered with High Tower Securities L.LC, member FINRA and SIPC&High Tower Advisors L.Ic a registered investment aduisor with the SEC This is nof an offer to buy or sell seeurities No ineestment process is free of risk and there is no guara tee that the incestment process described herein teilt be profitable Invesfors may lose all of their investments. Past performance is not indicative of eurrent or future performance and is not a guarantee. This document was ereated for informational purposes only: the opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do nof represent those of HighTower Aduisors LLC or any ofits affiliates Written By: Charles Andriole, The Andriole Group, 1291 Boston Post Road, Suite 201, Madison, CT 06443 SPON