In late February and March, the S&P 500 index fell over 30%. The market crash was fast, furious, and discombobulating. In their heads, experienced investors understood this was probably a great buying opportunity since stocks have always rebounded after crashes. But the COVID-19 pandemic made the crash of 2020 feel different.
Things still feel different. How are investors supposed to make sense of an ongoing health crisis, a U.S. presidential election whose candidates have very different economic policies, high unemployment with the threat of future layoffs, and unprecedented government economic stimulus? One thing you can do is make a list of stocks to buy if the market crashes again.
In hindsight, I can't believe I didn't think to buy Dollar General (NYSE: DG) stock in March when the market was in turmoil. But that's what turmoil does; it robs our ability to think clearly. That's why it's a good idea to have a plan in place before the market falls.
For further details see:
While the Market Is in Turmoil, Buy More of This Stock