Stock Market Sell-Offs Are Painful. But History Shows Why Investors Should Hope for One.

Key Points Many investors look to sell their stocks after their prices have declined sharply. Historically, recoveries off of correction and bear market lows have been strong and sharp. Here's the plan for how you can best take advantage of market downturns. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard S&P 500 ETF › Nobody enjoys watching their portfolio lose money. A $100,000 portfolio that drops 20% suddenly shrinks to just $80,000. If the decline deepens to 30%, the balance drops to $70,000. When those losses start piling up, the natural reaction is to hope stocks recover as quickly as possible. Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia.