The stock market has been quiet in the past few weeks. A little too quiet. With earnings season over and not much else to focus on at the moment, investors’ imaginations start to run wild. What happens if a crash occurs tomorrow? Will my portfolio get decimated? Inflation is also rearing its ugly head. The Federal Reserve in the US is signalling a faster-than-expected increase in interest rates as economic activity has strengthened. Rising interest rates usually have a dampening effect on the stock market as debt becomes more expensive. This extended period of peace has led to a feeling of disquiet instead. As a Smart Investor, we cannot reliably predict when the market is going to plunge. However, we can stand prepared to take advantage of attractive opportunities when it does occur. There’s nothing to fear when the market crashes if you are invested in strong companies. Here is a list of our top articles for the week....