With stocks trading at record highs under the Trump administration, the Wall Street "fear gauge" – the VIX -- has been at the lowest level in 24 years.
But Thursday's opening bell will come after a 372-point drop in the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Wednesday. It was the worst trading day of the year.
The dip is widely attributed to uncertainty over the latest headlines and controversies about the Trump administration. Those worries might put the “fear gauge” numbers to the test.
The falloff is “a news cycle reaction,” says Samuel Rines of Avalon Advisors of Houston, and it reflects concerns over the “current political environment, he says.
Rines says to keep perspective even as the market is driven down by the headlines.
He says people worried about their portfolios or long-term investments should remember that Wednesday's dip was less than 3 percent – and the market remains at near-record highs.
Rines says the uncertainty “could go on for a while,” but investors shouldn't panic.