If a Stock Market Crash Is Brewing, History Says Investors Who Do This 1 Thing Will Win Out

The article argues that despite heightened market anxiety from rising U.S.-Iran tensions and a pullback in memory/storage stocks, investors should avoid panic selling the S&P 500 and broad equity holdings. It emphasizes that downturns are normal and that history favors staying invested rather than trying to time the market. The piece highlights consumer staples and Dividend Kings as relatively defensive choices during uncertainty, but its main message is that selling during weakness can trigger taxes and lock in losses, while missing the market’s best rebound days can dramatically reduce long-term returns. Citing Hartford Funds, it notes that 48% of the S&P 500’s best days from 1996 to 2025 occurred during bear markets, reinforcing the case for discipline over reaction. The article is broadly supportive of long-term equity exposure and frames weakness as an opportunity for patient investors rather than a signal to abandon the market.