Below is a message from The Motley Fool's Chief Investing Officer, Andy Cross, which is being sent to all Motley Fool members. This is how we approach volatile markets.

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Dear Fools,

In one of the greatest upsets in U.S. politics, Donald Trump has won the 2016 presidential election.

What's that mean for investors? Well, ahead of the opening bell, U.S. market futures are down about 2% — but we don't pretend to know where stocks will go from there.

We all have questions about what a Trump presidency might bring and which laws Congress might pass in the coming years.

And we'll bet that many of you are also wondering what this election means for your stocks — not just tomorrow or next month, but for the next four years. Although we have no predictions that the market will snap back with the same velocity we saw after the U.K.'s surprising Brexit vote, we believe in American capitalism regardless of who goes to work in the Oval Office or the Capitol.

What we're doing (the same thing we've always done)

Today and the days ahead, we'll probably see movements in stock prices. Don't let your emotions get the better of you. Don't overreact. Markets will always swing during times of uncertainty, but remember: You're a true investor in businesses that create value for customers, employees, partners, and shareholders, and you're looking out years, not days or months.

Here at Fool HQ, your advisor teams will be studying and analyzing our Foolish companies to understand how a Trump presidency might affect their long-term prospects. To say there are a lot of moving parts is an understatement. But we're analysts, and we'll be doing what any good analyst does: take in new information and revise opinions accordingly. If our opinions change on any of our companies, you'll be the first to know.

Our love of investing in stocks is as steady as ever, and your own faith in the market shouldn't waver now, Fool.

Finally, remember that today is just one day in the market. We Fools will keep investing for the future, with optimism, as we always have, in the way we always have. We're honored that you're doing the same.

Fool on,


Andy Cross, Chief Investment Officer