11 Most Read Advisorpedia Articles of the Week!

1. 10 Things You Should Know About Bear Markets

Olympic athletes are at the peak of their careers, but even they need rest days to stay healthy. Sometimes financial markets need to reset from record-setting performance, too. Here’s what you need to know about bear, or down, markets. — Hartford Funds

2. What's Different About the Market Drop This Time

What We Know; What We Don’t Know. In times like this it’s difficult to see through all the fog. As a colleague commented earlier this week, we have a virtual “cesspool of panic.” — James E. Wilson

3. Market Panic Is a Virus We Can Contain

A virus is spreading across the world and it is far less physically dangerous than the coronavirus. It is transmitted through the airwaves, news outlets, discussions in coffee shops and other social settings, and is observed in real time by anyone checking their 401(k) balances or their investment statements. — Ross Levin

4. How Investors Are Reacting to the Corona Crash

Thanks to the coronavirus and an upheaval in the oil production market, stock market values lost approximately 20 percent over the first two weeks of March, and investors expressed varying levels of concern over the economic impact of the crash. But they didn’t immediately alter their portfolios as a result. — Catherine McBreen

5. The Best Thing Advisors Can Do in These Times

You just have to be there. First and foremost, reach out to each client. Given the current circumstances by phone or email is best – but normally we’d say a meeting is ideal. This initial contact is to gauge how they are reacting to the volatility – are they okay because you’ve already talked about it? Are they concerned about the value of their portfolio? Or are they somewhere in between? — Judy Paradi

6. To Beat Bear Markets, Invest Differently

At a time where many investors are in sudden panic mode, investors who have developed an all-weather approach to investing are weathering the storm. Since history tells us that bear markets, like bull markets, tend to be much deeper and longer than most expect, it is not too late to learn and implement some approaches that will help keep your emotions in check, and your retirement plans intact. — Rob Isbitts

7. The Stock Market Crash Was Inevitable, but Stimulus Will Fuel Another Bull Run

One aspect of the current crisis that has remained largely unnoticed is the orderly way equity markets have collapsed. Market systems have worked without a glitch to discover accurate asset prices to enable investors and policymakers to overreact in the short term to relatively normal long-term volatility. — Richard Harris

8. The Black Swan is Covered in Oil

Last week, news broke that Russia walked out of the OPEC meeting. Saudi Arabia was pressing its fellow oil producing nations to cut an additional 1 to 1.5 million barrels of daily oil production. Russia walked. — Marin Katusa

9. Scary Bear Market Déjà vu

It's hard to believe one month ago the Dow Jones average hit a high of 29,551.42. Since then, we've experienced a US stock market meltdown and volatility similar to that of 2008. The Dow plummeted to 23,851.02 as of yesterday's close, a drop of 19.29%, near the official "bear market” boundary of 20%. — Rick Kahler

10. Why Businesses Should Step up Their Marketing Game During the Economic Downturn

For companies trimming their marketing budget, digital marketing offers an affordable way to maintain brand presence. Local and social marketing campaigns are a faster way to access your customer base to keep them up to date on the latest company developments during the COVID-19 outbreak. — Leonard Parker

11. Where Did All the Toilet Paper Go?

There are three steps you can take to help clients cope with this type of panic. First, and most important, manage your own anxiety. It’s very easy for your fight-or-flight instinct to become activated by the images and commentary on television and by your clients’ emotions.— Ken Haman