What to Do With This Week's Market Whiplash
The markets have faced some whiplash this week...
We saw regular spikes of volatility in the weeks leading up to Tuesday's midterm elections. But that's not unusual. As we wrote last month...
When it comes to managing your wealth, letting political opinions dictate your portfolio is one of the fastest ways to shoot yourself in the foot. If you're a Republican, you'd miss out on a lot of gains if you weren't invested during the blue years... and vice versa.
While elections spark strong emotions, the truth is that the market doesn't care all that much about red or blue. It mostly cares about things like corporate earnings and interest rates.
But to say midterms are total B.S. would be incorrect, too.
And that's because the market hates uncertainty.
By Wednesday, most of the election results were in... and the markets seemed to breathe a sigh of relief...
Until yesterday.
The CBOE Volatility Index spiked nearly 70% − one of its biggest jumps of the past few years. AI stocks plunged, pulling the rest of the market down with them. And stocks saw their worst one-day loss since the "Liberation Day" sell-offs in April 2025.
A big reason for the drop is the Democrats securing control of Congress. Investors are concerned this could lead to more stringent regulations to curb the AI build-out... which could limit AI companies' future growth.
While some people are worried this could be the start of a larger loss of confidence in AI stocks, some are calling it an overreaction.
Longtime Health & Wealth readers know I don't love making big predictions. But when 2026 began, all the signs were pointing to another good year for stocks. The risk of a recession was low, investors were happy but not overly euphoric or greedy, and all the major banks were calling for stocks to rise...
All of those factors still hold true today. That's why now isn't the time to panic.
It's true... We don't know what the Democrats will actually do when newly elected Congress members are sworn in on January 3. And we don't know how President Donald Trump will work with a Congress controlled by the Democratic Party.
But, as we've written before, many AI companies have been overhyped. So this correction isn't exactly a surprise.
We'll keep a close watch to see how this plays out. Already, the market has begun to recover some of yesterday's losses. So don't let this week's extreme market moves keep you away...
According to my colleague Greg Diamond, the midterm elections have opened a rare trading opportunity that could allow investors to double their money in as little as 18 days.
While most investors are focused on the political fallout and what it means for the stock market, Greg is looking at a historical pattern that has followed midterm elections for more than 124 years.
Greg has used this pattern to produce 28 trades with gains of 100% or more in as little as 18 days.
Now, with the midterms behind us, Greg believes another of these windows is opening. And it could potentially create multiple opportunities for triple-digit gains before the end of the year.
Now, let's get to this week's Q&A... And as always, keep sending your comments, questions, and topic suggestions to feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com. My team and I read every e-mail.
The Tax Advantages of an HSA
Q: I'm considering a health plan with an HSA. I heard there are also tax advantages I should know about? – B.H.
A: Thanks for your question, B.H. Health savings accounts ("HSAs") have a triple tax advantage.
First, your contributions are either pretax or tax-deductible... and employer contributions lower your gross income, which can lower your annual tax bill.
Second, the money in your HSA grows tax-free. And, as with an individual retirement account ("IRA"), you can use the funds in your HSA to buy stocks, bonds, and funds. That allows for a lot of potential growth.
Third, you can withdraw your HSA funds tax-free for qualified medical expenses. These include copays for medical visits or prescriptions, as well as eyeglasses, some skincare products (like sunscreen or eczema cream), first-aid supplies, and over-the-counter allergy relief (even my favorite tool – the neti pot).
The IRS lets you keep putting money into your HSA until you enroll in Medicare. Once you hit 65, you can withdraw the money without penalty for any reason... You'll just have to pay taxes if you're not withdrawing it for a medical expense.
An HSA is one of my favorite retirement secrets that most folks aren't taking advantage of.
What We're Reading...
- Did you miss it? The biggest fear investors should have today.
- Something different: Dinosaur blood was found in fossils for the first time.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
November 6, 2026