As you may have heard, the more aggressive portions of the Trump tariffs have been postponed for 90 days—news that prompted a strong wave of relief across the markets. Within just five hours, the S&P 500 surged by 10%, effectively erasing the sharp downturn that began last Thursday.

That said, this doesn’t mean the tariff threat has disappeared. A baseline 10% tariff is still being enforced on many countries, and tensions between the U.S. and China continue to escalate. Still, the market’s reaction shows that there’s only so much “medicine” the U.S. economy is willing to swallow.

What really stands out to me is the speed at which the markets are now moving. After the 2008 financial crisis, it took nearly five years to recover. During COVID, that recovery time shrank to just six months. While we haven’t seen a full rebound yet this time, the pace suggests it may come quicker than expected.

Does that mean you should seize every downturn as an opportunity? Maybe. Just last Friday, a 78-year-old client decided to “buy the dip” and top up her TFSA—a savvy move that reflects long-term thinking. While we can’t predict the future, history continues to prove that time in the market beats timing the market. Yes, volatility can be unsettling. Headlines can be dramatic. But if you stay buckled in, keep your hands and arms inside the ride at all times, odds are you’ll step off in a better place than where you started.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, I’m just a call or email away.

Warm regards,