Anyone watching the stock market’s response to world events this week may be feeling a little uncertain about their investments.
But if last year taught investors anything, it’s that volatility and dramatic drops in stocks from one day to the next are not reliable indicators of annual portfolio performance.
Despite extreme market volatility last year – especially in the spring of 2025 – the average 401(k) balance rose by 11% to $146,100, according to new data from Fidelity Investments, which analyzed nearly 25 million accounts.
It marks the third consecutive year that the average corporate workplace retirement account booked a double-digit percentage gain.