Wall Street dips, but investors stay calm amid market volatility

Another rocky day on Wall Street as the stock market closed down again Tuesday. But at High Point’s food hall, Stock and Grain, most people are taking the dip in the stock market with a grain of salt.

“The stock market is going to do what it has to do, but I think if we focus on what we can control, we will have peace in all of this,” said investor Jackie Davis.

Certified Financial Planner Matt Logan with TMRW Wealth echoes that sentiment, emphasizing the importance of staying calm in times of market turbulence.

“Take a deep breath, step back, and look at the big picture,” Logan said. “I’ve lived through COVID. I never panic. I’ve always played the long game.”

For perspective on where the market stands now, stock brokers rely on the Volatility Index, or VIX. The higher the VIX climbs, the more uncertainty investors feel about the stock market’s future, often leading to worse performance.

Since President Donald Trump took office earlier this year, the VIX has increased. However, looking at a broader 20-year trend, market uncertainty is still much lower than during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic or before the 2008 financial crisis.

“Really, this is a blip on the radar as far as overall volatility,” Logan said.

The White House is also working to ease investor fears.

“We are in a period of transition from that economic nightmare under a president who had no idea what he was doing, never held a private-sector job in his life, into a golden age of American manufacturing under a businessman and a dealmaker-in-chief in President Donald J. Trump, who is implementing the formula that we know works,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

While market swings can feel unsettling, financial experts say focusing on the fundamentals can provide stability in uncertain times. Jackie Davis suggests practical steps that anyone can take to maintain financial health.

“Make sure you’re saving money, paying off debt,” she said. “Be there for your families, love on your neighbors, enjoy your community. Those are the things we can control.”