Money word

Volatility

How much and how fast a price swings up and down.

Volatility describes the size of the bumps along the way. High-volatility investments jump around a lot day to day; that movement is normal, not a sign something's broken. Over long horizons, the calmest thing an investor can do is expect volatility and keep holding through it.

Explain it to your kid

"How much a price jumps up and down."

Want to go deeper? What to tell your kid when the market drops.

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