Weekend Reading: The Higher the Vix, the Higher the Clicks

This article appears as part of Casey Weade's Weekend Reading for Retirees series. Every Friday, Casey highlights four hand-picked articles on trending retirement topics and delivers them straight to your email inbox. Get on the list here.
Weekend reading higher the vix higher the clicks Weekend reading higher the vix higher the clicks
Weekend Reading

When it comes to news headlines, the media often follows the “If it bleeds, it leads” mantra, and that includes financial publications too.

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As Michael Batnick says, “Rainbows don’t attract attention the way a fire does”, which is why negativity seems to spread further amongst news outlets by the day.

Fraught with fear: Simply put, bad news sells, and even more so now that we find ourselves in the “Oh” part of this tumultuous market cycle (see article graph for reference). Facebook, Amazon and major retail companies are down 40 to 50-plus percent, on the brink and prepared for any additional downward spirals.

The power of positivity: On the flip side, however, for investors who have “the money, the stomach and the patience to swing”, down stocks are up for grabs. These opportunities only present themselves in the “Oh” part of the cycle, so while negativity might get the clicks, optimism can still benefit your portfolio.

Look inward: It’s powerful for you to recognize where you are on the emotional roller coaster. I know for me, it’s vital to recognize where I am, but even more important to realize where I will be in the future.