Morningstar's Guide to 2016's Market Volatility

It has been a brutal start to the new year for investors. In particular, China's slowing economy and slumping oil prices have injected uncertainty into the markets.

Coverage on Morningstar.com includes the latest global market news, tips for both strategic and opportunistic investors on how to weather market volatility, and more. See our latest reports below and visit this page again to read more as events unfold.

Morningstar Commentary

Poll: What the Market Volatility Is Telling Investors Morningstar.com readers weigh in: Is this year's downdraft a buying opportunity, signal of a coming recession, or noise to tune out?

These Bond Funds Have Provided Effective Ballast On the hunt for bond funds that have gained when the equity market has tumbled. Use This Lousy Market to Upgrade Your Portfolio (video) Give your taxable account a lift by replacing tax-loss-sale holdings with better investments or by finding more tax-efficient alternatives, says Morningstar's Christine Benz.

5 Things to Understand About the Market Sell-Off (video) The market overall is not exactly cheap and still fraught with uncertainty, but patient investors will find select opportunities among moat stocks that can weather the storm.

European Bank Sell-Off Overdone We see investment opportunities in the highest-quality stocks.

Unjustified Panic Creates Opportunities in U.S. Bank Stocks Though capital worries are clearly affecting some global banks, insolvency fears are exaggerated from both a fundamental and practical perspective in the U.S., writes Morningstar's Jim Sinegal.

A To-Do List for Volatile Markets Tackle these four constructive tasks to improve your portfolio and financial plan.

These Equity Funds Have Played Good Defense We screen for quality-conscious, defensive-minded funds that have earned their keep in weak markets.

5 Fund Categories Getting Mauled by the Commodities Bear (video) Commodities funds, understandably, have been hit hard by the downturn, but so have funds in the emerging-markets, high-yield, bank-loan, and value-oriented categories, says Morningstar's Russ Kinnel.

Dividend-Seekers: It's Not Your Time Yet (video) Now that everyone wants to own them, most defensive dividend-payers are no longer cheap, says Morningstar's Josh Peters.

Maybe You Should Sell Some Stocks Not everyone should sit still despite the market's turbulence.

Do Declining Oil Prices Signal a Problem for Stocks? They have not generally, but that might be changing.

These Investments Provide Peace of Mind in Turbulent Markets Morningstar.com readers share which of their investments are allowing them to sleep at night these days.

6 Funds That Stand Tall Amid 2016's Market Rout (video) Defensive-minded funds holding cash, gold, and high-quality companies have tended to outperform peers so far this year, says Morningstar's Russ Kinnel.

Time to Buy Big Banks We think the pessimism regarding the large U.S. banks is overdone.

Common Questions (and Answers) for Uncommon Markets Five frequently asked questions for shell-shocked fund investors.

Johnson: China Woes Not Threatening U.S. Fundamentals--Yet (video) China may be the proximate cause of the recent stock market carnage, but Morningstar's Bob Johnson doesn't see signs yet that the country's slowdown is having an impact on the fundamentals of the U.S. economy.

Where's the Payoff for Active Investing? Active U.S. stock funds haven't dodged the downturn.

Fund Scorecard: Quality Is King During Market Shakeup (video) Funds with cyclical and high-yield exposure have had a rough start to 2016 as investors seek stability, but target-date funds should continue to improve investor returns.

A Rocky Market Action Plan for Retirees (video) Retirees can shore up amid a volatile market by double-checking their liquid reserves and asset allocation, remaining flexible on withdrawal rates, and more.

Winter Has Come for Alternative Funds January's stock market swoon puts a spotlight on liquid alternatives.

Retirees: Sidestep These 4 Pitfalls in a Declining Market How to take advantage of the bargains without jeopardizing your well-laid plan.

Growth Fears Grip the Market Weak U.S. headline economic data helped fuel the sell-off this week, but don't be tricked by short-term anomalies.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Hitting the 'Sell' Button (video) It's not always a mistake to sell, but make sure you're doing it for the right reasons, says Morningstar's Christine Benz.

The January Sell-off and Your Mutual Funds A look at which funds took it on the chin and which remained unscathed.

A Bit of Good News About the Market The yield-curve indicator is not flashing...yet.

More High-Quality Stocks Now in Buying Range Recent selling in the U.S. equity market has driven a handful of wide-moat stocks into bargain territory.

Dos and Don'ts in a Volatile Market (video) Consider rebalancing and pulling forward IRA contributions, but don't get overexcited about buying opportunities or short-term market movements, says Morningstar's Christine Benz.

4 High-Quality Stocks Now in Buying Range The recent sell-off has driven several wide-moat stocks into 5-star territory.

What's Fueling the Volatility in China? (video) Fundamental, technical, and behavioral factors are all at play in sending Chinese and global shares lower, says Morningstar's Dan Rohr.

Why the World is Worried Over China (video) Knock-on currency effects and trade concerns are weighing on, in some cases, fully valued global markets. The result: a rocky ride for investors.

Will China's Malaise Spread to the U.S. Economy? Strong U.S. employment growth stands in stark contrast to Chinese market woes.

Energy Bulls Must Be Patient and Picky (video) High-quality E&P bargains can be found today, but investors must be prepared to face new lows in the short term and seek out firms that can weather extremely challenging conditions.

Perspectives From External Contributors

Oaktree: What Does the Market Know? It would be wrong to interpret the recent worldwide drop as meaning the market 'knows' tough times lay ahead, writes Oaktree's Howard Marks.

Wharton: The Great Economic Recasting: Can China Pull It Off? China built three decades of speedy growth upon manufacturing and exporting. Can it avoid major economic crises as it recasts its economy?

Blackrock: The China Storm: Parsing Sentiment and Substance China is once again the focus of investor anxiety. But how much is sentiment versus substance?

Fidelity: Global Environment Poised to Stabilize as 2016 Progresses Expect elevated volatility among financial assets as world digests the Fed's tightening.

Sri-Kumar Global Strategies: Five Things to Shake Up 2016 Komal Sri-Kumar discusses five developments that could shake up the global economy in 2016.

PIMCO: Policy Support Amid Sluggish Growth: Asia's Economies in Transition Policy will be critical over the coming year but options are constrained by excessive debt, domestic politics and potential asset bubbles.