Average investors are frustrated that the U.S. government is no longer among the world's most creditworthy, and fear Monday's stock plunge may not be the end.

And that's quite a statement. Monday was a day to bail on stocks as investors, unnerved by Friday's downgrade of the nation's debt rating, sought safety in cash and less volatile alternatives. The sell-off pushed the Dow Jones industrial average below 11,000 for the first time since November. The index closed the day down 634.76 points to 10,809.85. That's a decline of 14.7 percent since mid-July.

The question is whether investors will keep their long-term goals in mind and be patient enough to stick with a plan. Any market rebound seems a ways off given the spate of bad news about the economy, and debt problems here and in Europe. Corporate profits remain strong, which is a key reason why the Dow remains about 65 percent above its March 2009 low. Still, some investors are active, regarding Monday's market's decline as a buying opportunity. Successful investing means avoiding the temptation to overhaul a portfolio in response to day-to-day news

UAIndex