Investing isn't a sprint -- it's a marathon. When examined over long stretches, stocks have the annualized return edge over other asset classes, such as bonds and commodities. But over the short term, stock market returns can be unpredictable.

Last year, the widely followed Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI), broad-based S 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), and growth-dependent Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) all slid into respective bear markets and produced their worst full-year returns since the Great Recession. It was a reminder to all that stocks can, indeed, move lower.

Image source: Getty Images.

Continue reading

Source Fool.com