Dealing with a bear market

Don't panic sell: The people who emerged happiest after the 1987 stock market crash were those that held on to their stocks. Do not dump them simply because they have lost value - the market will pick up.

Consider funds: You could also take your money out of stocks and put it into money market funds, which have done particularly well over the past two years and offer reasonable rates of return.

Plan your portfolio: Consider in advance whether you could handle owning certain stocks and funds in a bear market.

Buy quality stocks: It may sound obvious, but a surprising number of people will have bought low-value counters during the tech boom, in the hope of cashing in. This time, look for long-term value.

Avoid 'emotional' decisions: Keep a tight rein on your heart and try to let your head make the decisions. Bear markets are not easy and require sacrifice before you will see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Avoid the herd mentality: Try to ignore mass sentiment and instead work on surprising the market. Look for better than expected earnings on beaten-down stocks.

Buy bear funds: A handful of funds are designed to go up if the market falls. The Prudent Bear Fund, for instance, is a mirror image of the typical actively managed fund. It's run by David Tice, who picks overvalued stocks and shorts them.

Timing: Timing is always key - even more so in a bear market. Draw up a plan identifying when you plan to start buying tech stocks again, for example, and stick to it.

Alternative investments: You could eschew the stock market all together and instead plump for more exotic investments such as gold, antiques or wine.

Bonds: It may be a little late to get the real benefit from treasury bonds, but further interest-rate cuts will undoubtedly see better returns.

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