Big slump is no cause to ditch stock market

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2014 file photo, specialists Robert Tuccillo, left, and Frank Masiello work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The biggest stock slump in more than two years is no reason to abandon the market, professional investors and strategists say. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2014 file photo, specialists Robert Tuccillo, left, and Frank Masiello work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The biggest stock slump in more than two years is no reason to abandon the market, professional investors and strategists say. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

By Associated Press October 21, 2014 5 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – The stock market’s big swings have raised concerns about how much longer the five-year bull market can last.

But the volatility is no reason to abandon the market, say professional investors and strategists.

Worries about a slowdown in global growth drove oil prices and global stock indices lower last week. Headlines about the spread of Ebola and the deepening conflict with Islamic State fighters in the Middle East also turned investors cautious.

But investment strategists point out that many of the factors that have supported stocks during their current five-year bull run market remain in place. The U.S. economy is still growing, and so are corporate earnings.

Most strategists say investors should take advantage of the opportunities that come with a stock sell-off.