Steven SparkmanScary headlines in the business press Monday night after stocks slid more than 2 percent in a single day.
You might have seen something about Wall Street getting walloped or stocks unraveling as the Dow sinks 300 plus points. (Via Fox Business, CNBC)
In fact, the Dow Jones, the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ all fell between 2 and 2.6 percent. (Via Bloomberg)
This is the latest in a slide that started in mid-January. So far this year the stock market is down around 8 percent. (Via The Wall Street Journal)
But there's plenty of talk saying that's nothing to worry about. The business networks have been full of folks lately saying similar things: that a correction, or a dip of around 10 percent, is coming, that it's a totally normal part of the stock market cycle and that it paves the way for future growth.
"If we get a 10 percent correction, I think the market will be higher at the end of the year than if we don't get a 10 percent correction and we keep the market going at levels that cannot be sustained." (Via CNBC)
"I think it's about time we had a correction, to be very frank ... We don't believe this correction is going to get out of hand on the downside." (Via Fox Business)
Of course, even if there was a correction on the horizon, that doesn't mean Monday's sell-off didn't have a catalyst. In fact, the slide was likely triggered by some disappointing economic news.
An Institute for Supply Management report said U.S. manufacturing slowed in January, and there's a lingering currency crisis in the emerging markets overseas.
But, again, those same business analysts are optimistic, reminding us that economic recoveries don't move in a straight line.
Still, as Fox News's Shepard Smith puts it:
SMITH: "It's not a good day to look at your 401k. Maybe look in a couple months."
