If a Stock Market Crash Is Coming, This Is Warren Buffett's No. 1 Piece of Advice for Investors Right Now

It's been a turbulent few months for the stock market. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI), and Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) have all reached record highs in 2026, but they've also wavered recently, with returns in the single digits since May.

There are also a few headwinds that could lead to greater volatility. Tech stocks have been shaky, the odds of an interest rate increase are going up, and the ongoing war in Iran (and yet another surge in oil prices) is wearing on investors.

It's unclear when the next bear market will begin, but it's coming eventually. If there's anyone who has plenty of experience with recessions and market crashes, it's 96-year-old Warren Buffett. And he has a few words of encouraging advice for investors right now.

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Bad news is an investor's best friend

In October 2008, the U.S. was well into the depths of the Great Recession. The S&P 500 had plunged by more than 40% over the previous year, and many investors were struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

That same month, The New York Times published an opinion piece from Buffett to help encourage weary investors. Perhaps his most notable advice that has stood the test of time is this: "In short, bad news is an investor's best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America's future at a marked-down price."

Buffett went on to emphasize that while not all companies would survive the recession, "fears regarding the long-term prosperity of the nation's many sound companies make no sense." He continued: "These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records five, 10, and 20 years from now."

^SPX data by YCharts

History has proved Buffett right, as the S&P 500 has surged by a staggering 1,000% since that article was published in October 2008. And those who reaped the greatest rewards were the investors who continued buying even when the market's outlook was bleak.

What history suggests investors should do right now

There's no telling where the market may be a month or a year from now, but history has proved over and over again that time in the market is far more valuable than timing the market.

The market could take a turn for the worse tomorrow, or it could continue reaching record highs for another year before the next slump begins. If you sell your stocks now in anticipation of a downturn, you risk missing out on lucrative returns if the market instead continues climbing.

While it may sound counterintuitive, the safest move investors can make right now is to simply stay in the market. If stocks fall, the next few years could be volatile. But as Buffett said, most healthy companies will recover when given enough time. As long as you're investing in quality stocks, your portfolio is likely to bounce back stronger than ever.

"You might think it would have been impossible for an investor to lose money during a century marked by such an extraordinary gain," Buffett said in 2008, referencing the Dow's historic rise. "But some investors did. The hapless ones bought stocks only when they felt comfort in doing so and then proceeded to sell when the headlines made them queasy."

Market volatility is heating up in 2026, and that uncertainty is daunting. But according to Buffett, those are often the best conditions to invest more.

Katie Brockman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.