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SiG MT 106 FACT S ON FIN ANCE Article provided by Edward Jones - Mike Plummer For one thing, it suggests that patience and perserverence can pay off. From October 2007 to March 2009 – just 17 months – the S&P 500 stock market index fell more than 56 percent. at's a big drop, of course, but what if you had told yourself that "enough is enough" and you decided to sell ? Consider this: e S&P 500 has now risen about 320 percent since its low point on March 9, 2009. So, if you had stayed invested during these last 9-1/2 years, your portfolio might have achieved impressive results. How long will this bull market last? No one can say for sure, and it's usually something we don't anticipate that ends a bull market. (In fact, there's no one agreed-upon definition of a "bull market," although many financial experts define it as a period of rising stock prices without a drop of at least 20 percent.) Right now, the investment environment still looks prey good: U.S. economic growth is strong, corporate earnings are healthy and consumers are spending. As always, though, potential concerns lurk, including the effects of a looming trade war with China. Regardless of the prospects for this bull market, here are some questions to ask yourself: • Am I still on track toward meeting my goals? Your investments' performance may not match that of the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average – and that's not a problem. ese indices only track he returns of U.S. stocks, but to reach your goals, such as a comfortable retirement, you will likely need a diversified array of investments: U.S. stocks, international stocks, bonds, government securities and so on. Rather than compare your investment results to those of a single market index, you should measure your progress by your own "yardstick," based on a variety of factors, including your portfolio's performance but also taking into account your age, retirement goals, risk tolerance and family situation. A financial professional can help you create a personalized measurement tool. • Do I need to rebalance? Over time, your investment portfolio can become over-concentrated in some areas. For example, you might have wanted a certain percentage of your portfolio to be held in stocks, but during a long bull market, the value of U.S. stocks may have risen so much that they now take up more space than you had intended, possibly subjecting you to a higher level of risk Consequently, you may need to "rebalance" your portfolio by adjusting your investment mix. • Am I maintaining a long-term perspective? e 9 -1/2 years (and counting) run of the bull market should remind you that successful investing is not a "get-rich-quick" endeavor, but rather a gradual process requiring you to focus on the long term. Even during this lengthy run-up, we've seen "corrections"– short-term declines of 10 percent or more. But if you can stick with your long-term investment strategies, you will be less tempted to over-react to the inevitable bumps along the road. e record bull market makes for some interesting headlines for a few days – but in the long run, it's what you do, year in and year out, that will help you write your own story. How Should You Respond to Record-Breaking Bull Market? e investment world recently observed a milestone: the longest bull market in history. But what does this mean to you, as an individual investor? S MT

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