Warren Buffett said the recent stock market volatility is “really nothing” at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting on Saturday.
Warren Buffett: First stock, first tax filing, best, worst investments to net worth – 5 things you want to knowhttps://t.co/NtQSZr7sbI
— ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) May 4, 2025
The S&P 500 is down about 3% this year and was down over 19% from its record high at one point. Buffett noted that Berkshire Hathaway’s stock has fallen by 50% three times in history.
Despite the recent market fluctuations, Berkshire’s stock is up 19% year-to-date and closed at a record high on Friday.
Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting 2025: Warren Buffett’s exit, fiscal policy and more – Top takeaways from 60th AGMhttps://t.co/lokQqFP7Xf
— ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) May 4, 2025
Stocks have faced a rocky path in recent months as the scope of President Trump’s tariff plans came into focus. Those plans have evolved over time, and the worst-case scenarios contemplated after Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcement are off the table for now.
OOPS! Berkshire Hathaway cash pile hits record $347.7bn in 1Q as Warren Buffett sells stocks for 10th quarter in a row. pic.twitter.com/g2BzLjKwpN
— Holger Zschaepitz (@Schuldensuehner) May 3, 2025
Buffett’s view on market dips
The S&P 500 had recaptured all of its losses suffered after that April 2 announcement as of Friday’s close. Buffett shared two pieces of investment wisdom.
First, surprising things happen in the world and in the stock market. If you get excited when things look good and afraid when things look bad, then the stock market is a “terrible place to get involved.”
Second, if the world changing makes you change your goals as an investor, then it’s time to get a new perspective. “If it makes a difference to you whether your stocks are down 15% or not, you need to get a somewhat different investment philosophy,” Buffett said.
“The world is not going to adapt to you. You’re going to have to adapt to the world.”