You should let mutual funds or good money managers or brokers help guide you through the thicket. Click here for the latest from James J. Cramer. The latter has always been my oath. You must preserve your capital. In the last five years though, preservation of capital has become the troublesome orphan.
Nobody wants it.
It is considered the enemy of long-term appreciation. It wasn't always like that. There was a time, not too long ago, when talking about capital preservation made you sound wise. Heck, you were wise. But with a bull market that generated outstanding returns, preservation of capital became an almost laughable afterthought.