TACO Again? My 3 ETFs To Ride the Volatility
πππThe "Trump Always Chickens Out" or more popularly known as TACO narrative is driving the latest market swings. On Monday March 23 2026, the Dow surged over 600 points in massive relief rally after President Trump claimed that productive talks with Iran were underway. Even though Iran initially denied this, the market's desperate grab for any "off ramps" shows how much investors want to believe in a de-escalation pivot.
Is the Market Crash Over?
Technically we are in a correction, not a full blown crash even though the indices have dipped about 10% in March, hitting 10 months low before Monday's bounce.
Analysts suggest we could see a total 15% fall before a true bottom is found. However the risk on mood returning suggests the worst of the panic maybe pausing, provided oil prices continue to stabilise.
Will April Trend Repeat?
April is historically a "Goldilocks" month for stocks, often fuelled by tax refund liquidity. For 2026, analysts remain cautiously optimistic. Gold man Sachs and other major banks are still forecasting about 11% returns for the year, betting that solid corporate earnings will eventually outweigh the war fatigue.
My Strategy
In times of war, the typical play is a sharp drop followed by a recovery over the next year. Instead of timing the bottom, I will continue to dollar cost average into broad index ETFs to capture the eventual rebound:
$SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF(SPTM)$
SPTM is best for all in US exposure. It includes 1500 stocks, making it more diversified than the S&P500 by including small and mid caps. That makes it a true "all weather" core holding.
SPYM's top holdings include the Magnificent 7 such as Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta Platforms as well as Berkshire Hathaway.
Expense ratio is an ultra low 0.03%, perfect for long term compounding.
Dividend Yield is 1.13% paid quarterly.
Why It Fortifies My Portfolio
SPTM gives me broad US exposure at minimal cost. It is a stable diversified ETF that compounds quietly when the Bears make noise.
STI is Singapore's dividend steady anchor. It tracks the Straits Times Index, giving me exposure to Singapore's top 30 blue chips companies, especially the 3 local banks which hit recent highs.
Top holdings include DBS, OCBC, UOB, Singtel, Capitaland Integrated Commercial Trust and Keppel Ltd.
Expense ratio is 0.30%.
Dividend Yield is 3.5% paid semi annually.
Why It Fortifies My Portfolio
STI ETF is my stability engine - low volatility, strong dividends and backed by Singapore's financial strength. It is perfect for balancing global uncertainty.
$iShares China Large-Cap ETF(FXI)$
FXI gives me exposure to China's largest companies listed in Hong Kong.
Top holdings include Alibaba, Tencent, Xiaomi , China Construction Bank and Meituan.
Expense ratio is 0.74%.
Dividend Yield is 2.6% paid semi annually.
Why It Fortifies My Portfolio
FXI is my strategic exposure to China's mega caps. It maybe volatile but rich wth long term potential.
Concluding Thoughts
In the end, the market is just a massive machine designed to test our nerves. Whether it is TACO headlines, geopolitical jitters or the April Trend guessing game, the noise will always be there. But history has a 100% track record of one thing: The world may keep turning but quality stocks and ETFs will keep climbing.
I do not let the red candles in my screen trick me into folding a winning hand. As the legendary Charlie Munger famously put it:
"The big money is not in the buying and selling but in the waiting."
So let's take a deep breath, grab a real taco and let time do the heavy lifting for us. The "crash" of today is almost always the "missed opportunity" of tomorrow.
@Tiger_comments @TigerStars @Tiger_SG @TigerClub @CaptainTiger
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.
