Expedia Inc (EXPE), Tripadvisor Inc (TRIP), Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT): Three Ways to Prepare for a Rough April

Similarly, the fears that come with market downturns can lift certain stocks. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) jumped 8% during last spring’s stock market swoon, paralleling its experience in 2008, when it managed to post a modest gain even in the bear-market year’s 37% drop for the S&P 500. Not all defensive stocks work this well, but every stock has its unique exposure to economic conditions and therefore will act differently in any market.

3. Know your plan.
A solid investing plan involves knowing what you’ll do in any market environment. With stocks at highs, making sure you’ve rebalanced your portfolio recently is the key way to ensure your portfolio risk is at levels you’re comfortable with. If you have the right mix of investments, it won’t matter what happens in April — you’ll still be on track to reach your longer-term goals.

Don’t panic!
The only certainty for April is that it’s likely to be just as unpredictable as every other month has been recently. By keeping your wits about you, you’ll be best prepared to handle whatever comes your way in the markets.

The article 3 Ways to Prepare for a Rough April originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends TripAdvisor. The Motley Fool owns shares of TripAdvisor.

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