The Cycle of Investing

Justin Lopez February 18th, 2025

Market downturns are a natural part of the investing cycle, yet they can often lead to uncertainty and doubt among investors. During periods of heightened volatility, taking a moment to revisit key terms that are commonly used to describe market conditions can provide clarity and help you make more informed investment decisions.

A “pullback” represents the mildest form of market decline and is characterized by a modest drop of 5-10% following a peak. More significant downturns between 10-20% are known as a “corrections.” Finally, a “bear market” signifies a substantial decrease of 20% or more from the previous high.

When prices trend lower, it can be easy to second-guess your decisions. However, over the years, I’ve learned that reacting emotionally to market fluctuations rarely helps.

As financial advisors, we craft portfolios with the understanding that markets will experience both highs and lows. Your investment strategy should be designed with your personal goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance in mind, providing the stability needed to stay on track through every stage of the market cycle.

If you ever find yourself thinking, “this time, it feels different,” please don’t hesitate to reach out. It’s important that you feel comfortable with your financial strategy, and I would be happy to serve as a sounding board or address any concerns you may have.

Read More By Justin Lopez, AIF®

Disclosures: Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by Concord Wealth Partners, or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this newsletter will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this newsletter serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from Concord Wealth Partners. To the extent that a reader has any questions regarding the applicability of any specific issue discussed above to his/her individual situation, he/she is encouraged to consult with the professional advisor of his/her choosing. Concord Wealth Partners is neither a law firm, nor a certified public accounting firm, and no portion of the newsletter content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of Concord Wealth Partners’ current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or on our website. Please Note: If you are a Concord Wealth Partners client, please remember to contact Concord Wealth Partners, in writing, if there are any changes in your personal/financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing, evaluating, and/or revising our previous recommendations and/or services, or if you would like to impose, add, or to modify any reasonable restrictions to our investment advisory services. Concord Wealth Partners shall continue to rely on the accuracy of information that you have provided. Please Note: If you are a Concord Wealth Partners client, please advise us if you have not been receiving account statements (at least quarterly) from the account custodian.

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