GOAL-BASED INVESTING AMID MARKET VOLATILITY IS KEY TO FINANCIAL SUCCESS

Use downturns to realign your portfolios with long-term goals, avoid emotional decisions

- TARUN BIRANI

The stock market rewards patience over impulsive reactions, transferring wealth from those chasing short-term movements to those who stay committed to a long-term strategy. This is especially relevant today as the BSE Sensex, which soared to about 85,800 in September, has dipped to around 73,100.

This decline reflects global trade disputes, rising geopolitical tensions, and capital outflows driven by a stronger US dollar, adding to short-term volatility. Concerns over US protectionist policies and fluctuating global interest rates have kept investors on edge.

Despite positive domestic indicators like resilient GDP growth and easing inflation, global headwinds have overshadowed these gains, contributing to the market's struggles.

Staying the course

India's structural growth drivers remain intact. The nation is seeing a respectably strong capital expenditure expansion, which is boosting employment and production in industries such as power, auto, and telecommunications.

The rapid digital transformation and a rising middle class, estimated to encompass approximately one-third of the nation's 1.4 billion population, play a pivotal role in driving consumption.