2019 has gone by in a blink of an eye. It has been a tumultuous year in the market, filled with the uncertainties of geopolitical events such as the U.S.-China trade war, the UK (still) leaving the EU, and the now-withdrawn extradition bill that sparked months of unrest in Hong Kong. These events caused some investors to sell off, waiting on the sidelines for a golden opportunity to re-enter the market at a better price.

As a result of that, those investors missed out on a good year, especially in the U.S. In 2019, the S&P 500 has a year-to-date return of 28.58%:

Which brings us to some key lessons we can takeaway from the year that just passed.

Earlier in the year, investors expected the U.S. economy to slow down as a result of the trade war