But past performance is no guarantee for future results. Just about any investment could do poorly over a several-year period. That's why most smart investors diversify with a mixture of stocks and fixed-income investments. Spread your holdings around and you compensate for losses in other categories. So they switch their funds, hoping the trend will continue.
Markets are cyclical.
Last quarter's hot investment may cool off in the next quarter. Sometimes it's tempting to dip into these long-term savings. Avoid this if you possibly can. For others, it's just around the corner. But there is one thing in common, no matter how much time is left.