SoFi Blog

Holiday Cheer with a Dash of Stock Market Fear

“O Turkey Lurkey, the sky is falling!”
—The Remarkable Story of Chicken Little

Quoting a well-worn children’s tale may seem a bit crass in the wake of an uncertain market. But, this classic yarn remains prophetic because of the timeless lessons it espouses for tumultuous times like these.

For the uninitiated, Chicken Little gets unnecessarily spooked, yells about the end of the world, and convinces all of her flavorful foul friends to prepare for the worst. The wily fox senses opportunity and invites his feathered friends into his den to take shelter from the impending storm—where he then proceeds to consume each worrywart one by one.

Given the market turmoil and disheartening news headlines, many investors may wonder if Chicken Little was on to something, despite knowing her eventual fate. As stock valuations become more reasonable, it may make more sense for investors to act like the opportunistic fox.

While you may or may not be the type to enjoy New Year’s resolutions, setting financial goals for the new year is a very different kind of ambition than losing weight or making your bed every day.

Yes, it may be important to cut down on carbohydrates or increase the number of trips you make to the gym each week (of course, you can still do those things), but harnessing the power of focused financial discipline can provide you with practical habits that can serve you for a lifetime. Here are eight straightforward and achievable practices for helping to improve your financial future.

The smooth lines, sumptuous curves and oh, that unmistakable purr. If you’re a classic car enthusiast, these tantalizing traits are just part of the equation. Because besides the obvious attributes—timeless design, intricate details and craftsmanship—there’s a sense of gratification that comes along with classic cars that’s hard to surpass.

If you’re the restorer then you feel an immense sense of pride in a job well done. If you’re the buyer, you’ve instantly made a statement of impeccable taste. And if that’s a perk for you, you’re definitely not alone.

In fact, the value of classic cars has increased 334% over the past decade, according to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index. That growth far outpaces the growth in the value of art, wine, coins, or almost any other collector item. And while that’s gratifying to hear as a classic car collector, it’s still not why you got into the classic car game. You see the value beyond just thinking of your car as an “asset.”

You think you have everything squared away. Your rent is paid. Your student loans are covered for the month. You even have some extra cash to try out the new craft brewery with your friends this weekend.

Then, suddenly a financial disaster strikes. Maybe your beloved dog gets sick or maybe your faithful old clunker of a car suddenly breaks down. All you know is that you need money and you need it quickly.

Of course, there are a number of reasons you might need a sudden infusion of cold hard cash that don’t involve trips to the pet ER or the mechanic. Maybe you want to refinance your credit card debt. It doesn’t matter as much why you need money as it matters where you’re going to get it.

During the holiday season, the activities and schedules of Americans tend to change as families and friends take time off to gather together to celebrate. And it isn’t unusual for some traders to also leave work behind to take an extended break from typical routines.

How, though, do traders and investors adjust their schedules in Q4? How do they tweak their investment strategies?

In this post, we’ll offer insights into how stock market activity during the holidays typically compares to the rest of the year, and share information about Christmas stock market trends and historical December stock market trends, overall.