A Stock Market Crash Isn’t the End of the World. Here’s Why.

Is there a stock market crash ahead? There’s always that possibility, however slim.

Yet market ups and downs, sometimes called “volatility,” is more normal than a lack of it. A significant decline or loss of statistical paper wealth is nothing to celebrate, yet it is no reason to panic, either.

A stock market crash, slump, correction, or selloff — however it shakes out — is more common than you might guess. Here are some reasons behind most market declines and reasons to take heart.