Overall, people are either looking to buy stocks (46 percent) or hold them and wait out the downturn (42 percent).
Internationally, people are more inclined to be buying, with 51 percent of respondents saying they would buy stocks vs. 46 percent in the United States.
Older professionals are more cautious; younger professionals looking to buy while stocks are low: 49 percent of people 55 and older plan to “do nothing and wait it out” while 39 percent think you should currently buy stocks.
Investor Resource Center
Basic things all investors should keep in mind in a tough market:
- The Basics
- CNBC Survival Guide: What To Do Now
- Warren Buffett's Volatility Strategy
- Credit Default Swaps: A Primer
For workers 18-24, 55 percent plan to buy stocks while they are low and only 35 percent plan to “do nothing and wait it out.”
Women are more cautious: 56 percent of women want to want to wait it out, compared to 37 percent of men. 52 percent of men want to buy beaten down stocks and only 35 percent of women think that is the right strategy.
By industry, those most interested in buying while stocks are low are also from the industries hardest hit in the past months: Real Estate and Banking had over 55 percent of respondents planning to buy while stocks are low compared to 38-43 percent of respondents planning to buy stocks in advertising, HR or Retail (sectors that expect to see a continued/sharp decline be hit in coming months may be looking to play it safe and not get any more risky or buy any more in the market; the people most willing to buy in banking/real estate might be more aggressive because they are trying to figure out a way to profit from the downturn).
See the charts below for a complete breakdown:
