
Three life-saving rules. Strictly enforce them. I've indeed been switching positions too frequently over the past two weeks, leading to picking up pennies while losing dollars. Need to reflect...
Currently, I've readjusted my portfolio. The holdings in my 50% position are all ones I dared to buy or wait for during the big drop.
Rule One: Check if your position can withstand another 10-15% drop. If not, use the next rebound to reduce your position to a level where you can sleep soundly. How to reduce it specifically? Prioritize selling those stocks you're only holding because they've fallen too much to sell—these are the ones that should be cleared first during a correction. Selling them isn't cutting losses; it's making room for the positions you truly believe in.
Rule Two: Don't switch positions in a panic. Switching back and forth gets you hit from both sides. This is the most classic way retail investors lose money during adjustments. If you really want to act, set a rule for yourself before you do—for example, I'll only consider adding to my position when VIX falls below 25, or I'll only add to tech when Brent stays below $95 for a week straight. The long-term results between rule-based actions and impulsive decisions are worlds apart.
Rule Three: Turn off the intraday noise. When the fear index hits 9, social media feeds, short videos, and forums are all filled with talk of an impending crash and calls to buy the dip. Both voices amplify your emotions. The most valuable action at this time is often—do nothing for now.

The panic index has dropped to 9—I reviewed three extreme panic experiences over the past decade and summarized 3 life-saving rules.
$NASDAQ Composite Index(.IXIC.US) $Cboe Volatility Index(.VIX.US) $Dow Jones Industrial Average(.DJI.US)Conclusion first: The CNN Fear & Greed Index (0 to 100, lower means more fear) has dropped to 9, one of the lowest levels in recent years. The last time it was in single digits was in April 2025 (tariff panic), and the time before that was in March 2020 (pandemic). The market saw significant rebounds after the previous two times — but that doesn't mean we should rush in to bottom-fish now...
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