Markets Are Reacting. Here’s Why to Stay Strategic.

I won’t sugarcoat it – this has been a tough time for the markets.

After President Trump’s sweeping rollout of new tariffs, U.S. stocks had their worst single-day drop since the early pandemic on Thursday, April 3rd. 1 The S&P 500 fell nearly 5%, the Nasdaq tumbled close to 6%, and the Dow dropped over 1,600 points. 2 Concerns over a full-scale trade war sent global markets reeling and investor confidence took a sharp hit.

From major retailers to energy companies, few sectors were spared. At the same time, rising tariffs on auto imports and goods from countries like China, Vietnam, and the European Union are fueling fears of inflation, reduced consumer spending, and even the possibility of a recession. 2

It’s no surprise if you’re feeling uneasy. You’re definitely not alone.

Here’s what I want you to remember: times like these are why a diversified portfolio and personalized plan is important. Your portfolio should be designed to span a range of asset classes, sectors, and geographies – and we intentionally include strategies and instruments beyond equities for our valued clients that are intended to help cushion against volatility.

While market indexes may grab headlines when they swing, a strategy should be built with long-term goals in mind, not short-term reactions.

That said, this downturn is real – and it’s unsettling. So here’s what we can do:

• Focus on what we can control, like how we react, how we stay diversified, and how we manage risk.
• Avoid the urge to panic sell, which historically has been one of the costliest investor mistakes.
• Remember that these tariff talks are still relatively new and we don’t know how things will play out yet.

It’s also worth noting that even on days like this, there are bright spots. Not every sector is falling, and some defensive areas like consumer staples have held up well. This reinforces why diversification matters – because we can’t try to predict the future, we can prepare for it.

A Retirement Built for Confidence™ is one that can weather even times of uncertainty.

Warm regards,

Barry


Sources:
1. NBC News, 2025 [URL: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/markets/us-stocks-dow-nasdaq-sp-plummet-trump-tariffs-rcna199476]
2. Fox Business, 2025 [URL: https://www.foxbusiness.com/live-news/stocks-sink-after-trump-tariffs-live-updates]

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Sources:
1Reuters. “Ominous market signals show more trouble could await US stocks.” Mar 12 2025. https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/ominous-market-signals-show-more-trouble-could-await-us-stocks-2025-03-12/. Accessed March 17, 2025.
2CNBC. “Fed holds interest rates steady, still sees two cuts coming this year.” March 19, 2025. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/19/fed-rate-decision-march-2025.html. Accessed March 19, 2025.