Since the stock market slide that began on July 22, the Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index has lost a reported $2.8 trillion. When the Dow Jones and the Index fell 520 points on Wednesday, $600 billion of that $2.8 trillion went up in smoke.
“Reacting to these ups and downs and sideways swings can actually do more harm than good for most investors,” said Chris Phillips, a senior investment analyst with Vanguard who warned investors and retirees alike not to panic.
