History Says This 1 Bear Market Move Is the Costliest Mistake Investors Can Make

Key Points Over the past 150 years, the U.S. stock market has entered bear territory about every six years. Stock market selloffs are a bad time to sell -- and a good time to buy. Fidelity research found that missing out on the best five days of S&P 500 returns in 36 years could reduce a portfolio’s growth by 37%. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › The past few years have been good for stock market investors. The S&P 500 index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has gained about 72% in the past five years. The tech-heavy Nasdaq-100 index has done even better, up about 93% in that time. But good times in the stock market don't last forever.