For the past month, stock market volatility - the extreme swings in stock prices and market indexes - has unnerved investors.
In one 10-day span, the Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 11% - then rose 6.5%. And on Aug. 24, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 1,000 points before recovering.
Here are five reasons stock market volatility has been so high lately....
U.S. stock markets entered correction territory in late August, with the Dow Jones falling more than 14% from its yearly highs.
But instead of leaving the market, we looked for some of the best stocks to buy now that are trading at "discount prices."
Here are three of the best stocks to buy now at discounted prices...
Conventional wisdom at the moment says that China's coming unglued and that the country's stock markets pose a grave danger to global investors.
In reality, the real risk isn't being reported.
In fact, it's not even being talked about...
Since reaching an intraday high of 18,351.36 on May 19, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped 11.6% through today.
That puts us squarely in correction territory, and has led to many readers asking us how to invest during a stock market correction.
For the answer, we turned to Money Morning Executive Editor Bill Patalon. Here's his strategy...
When it comes to stock market corrections, the urge to sell and run for cover is completely understandable - but it's the wrong move.
Instead, when the going gets tough, the tough... go shopping.
Shopping after a market sell-off is absolutely critical to capture the maximum possible profits. Remember, the markets' powerful upward bias means corrections and even crashes will always pass into history, giving way to wealth-generating bull runs.
On the heels of last Monday's vicious 1,000+ point "dip" and then Wednesday's subsequent 619-point "rip " higher, many investors are asking one question - will the stock market rally stick?
The media certainly seems to think so, but I'm not so sure.
I say that because the answer depends on a question nobody's asking...
Although stocks have recovered somewhat, the six consecutive days of losses have many investors asking, "Is this a bear market?"
A chart from French multinational bank Société Générale S.A. says yes, this is a bear market. And very convincingly, too - it actually indicates there's a 99.7% chance we're already in a bear market.
Here's why investors should heed this warning - and what they can do about it..
U.S. markets this week have painted the perfect picture of volatility. But exactly what does stock market volatility mean for investors?
Put simply, volatility is the amount of uncertainty about the size of changes in the stock market.
If there's one number that summarizes the stock market correction over the last week, it's $2.1 trillion.
That's the amount of money U.S. markets have lost in just the last six days.
Here's a few comparisons to illustrate just how massive that loss is...
The Dow Jones Industrial Average has been exceptionally volatile this week.
The volatility has investors wondering: Is this stock market correction over?
Here's why the sell-off might not be over quite yet...
New IPOs have not been shielded from the recent stock market sell-off.
Many of the largest IPOs in the last few years, such as Twitter and Alibaba, have been crushed by the market turmoil.
Here's what could happen to the IPO market if the Dow and S&P 500 keep falling...
Slowing economic growth has caused a stock market crash in China this year, as the Shanghai Composite has now fallen more than 43% in just two months.
And the ramifications stretch far beyond just China. According to CIA Asymmetric Threat Advisor Jim Rickards, China's slowing economy will help usher in the next 25-year Great Depression in the United States.
Here are the startling statistics...
Legendary investor Jim Rogers just spoke with BBC's Radio 4 on Aug. 24, now known as "Black Monday" - the day commodities crashed to their lowest level in the 21st century.
Brent crude oil prices, the international benchmark, have plummeted 18.8% in August so far, dipping below $44 a barrel. Futures have fallen 38.6% from the 2015 high of $69.94 seen just over three months ago. WTI crude oil prices have fallen even more - the U.S. benchmark has tumbled 20% this month, 34.6% this year, to hit below $39 a barrel.
There are ample reasons to be pessimistic about commodities right now.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average today (Tuesday, Aug. 25) forecasted a 523-point increase as investors attempt to move past "Black Monday," in which the Dow Jones saw its largest intraday decline in its 133-year history.
This morning, China slashed interest rates again after falling another 7.6% on Tuesday. The Shanghai Index is now down more than 15% in two days, as concerns about the nation's growth rattles investors.
Here's everything investors need to know about the Dow Jones Industrial Average today...
The Dow Jones Industrial Average today (Monday, Aug. 24) plummeted a whopping 1,000 points at market open. Markets were able to recover somewhat, but still finished deep in negative territory. The Dow today closed down 588.47 points (-3.58%); the S&P 500 fell 77.68 points (-3.94%); and the Nasdaq lost 179.79 points (-3.82%).
Today's stock market rout followed last week's unenviable record as the worst for stocks in four years...
Money Morning Technical Trading Specialist D.R. Barton appeared on CNBC World Sunday night, where he predicted today's DJIA bloodbath.
