If you’ve been staring at the downward-sloping line that is the U.S. stock market over the last few days and considering the impact on your retirement accounts, well, you’re probably not alone.

However, financial experts — and U.S. President Donald Trump — say now is not the time for panic.

According to Trump, American investors need to stay the course as he attempts “to do something that should have been done decades ago.”

“Don’t be Weak! Don’t be Stupid! Don’t be a PANICAN (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). Be Strong, Courageous, and Patient, and GREATNESS will be the result!” the commander-in-chief wrote, emphasis his.

The president’s advice matches that given by Odysseas Papadimitriou, the CEO of WalletHub, who stressed that data and prevailing wisdom both show “that no one can time the market.”

“No one can consistently figure out the best time to buy and sell,” Papadimitriou said.

If you are wondering whether to change up the way your 401(k) is invested, according to Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, diversification of assets is always a good idea when it comes to retirement planning.

“It is hard to roll with the punches when some days you feel like your portfolio is being pummeled. But those moments should pass. A diversified strategy that is thoughtfully adapting to changing circumstances can’t prevent the punches, but it can help soften the blows,” he said.

Stephen Kates, a financial analyst at Bankrate, stressed that “now is not the time to make emotional decisions.”

“Investors with ample time to stay invested should remember how lucrative patience has been over the last 15 years,” Kates said.

For those really feeling the pinch right now, it may be best to take a lesson from the past. The way JP Morgan Chase sees the stock markets, “over the last 20 years, seven of the 10 best days occurred within 15 days of the 10 worst days.”

“If you were to put $10,000 into the S&P 500 in 2004 and stay fully invested through today, you would have over $70,000. If you missed just the 10 best trading sessions though, you would be left with under $35,000. The reason? Market timing is incredibly difficult,” the investment firm wrote in 2024.

Herald wire services contributed.