Feel like a loser': My stock portfolio is swinging wildly. Is it finally time to worry?

A reader writing to The Moneyist says their portfolio “swing[s] wildly,” with ETFs rising one day and crashing the next, leaving them feeling like a loser and frustrated by the lack of yield as they approach retirement. The columnist responded that intraday ETF trading doesn’t mean the market is always volatile in the same way, and emphasized that yield is income—like interest and dividends—while return is the overall gain or loss. They also urged the investor to stop checking accounts if it increases anxiety, noting that focusing on long-term trends historically has meant higher returns over decades. Market context cited includes a roughly 14% S&P 500 gain from January to October and broader strength despite recession fears and geopolitical concerns.