HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Stock market volatility amid trade wars between the U.S., Canada and Mexico might have many nervously checking their 401k.

But one economist Spectrum News 1 spoke with said it’s not time to panic. Her best advice is to be patient.

It’s been a few days of decline on Wall Street, while trade war tensions rise over imposed tariffs. Northern Kentucky University economist Janet Harrah said the stocks that are down are mostly among the “magnificent 7” tech companies.

“This is already a trend that was in place. And the stock market is saying that the tariffs and the tariff war are going to accelerate the slowing down of the economy,” Harrah said.

Some have speculated this may slide the economy into a recession. Harrah isn’t ready to go there yet.

“At some point, we are going to have a correction. Whether this is what tips us into that correction, I don’t know yet. Part of it depends on how soon the United States, Canada, Mexico get to the table and come up with new agreements. Eventually that’s going to happen, because as much as we might not like to admit it, we need each other,” Harrah said.

She said people who are retired and living off the interest of their investments will feel the impact relatively quickly. Other than that, she said people shouldn’t panic.

“If you’re 30, and you’re not gonna retire for another 35 years, just let it ride, because it’ll go back up. If history is prologue, the stock market eventually always comes back up,” Harrah said.

In fact, some financial advisers would encourage clients to buy the dip: buy low now and sell high later. Harrah said for most people, she recommends not trying to time the market.

“Even if we had a correction in the market at 10% on average, the stock market increases 7% a year. So in a year and a half, we would have made it back up,” she said.

Still, some people are looking to diversify by turning to commodities like gold, silver and crypto. Harrah said one thing has always been true about investing, and always will be: with big reward usually comes big risk.

With the supply chain running north from Mexico to Canada and the prevalence of auto part manufacturing in Kentucky, Harrah said one of the immediate concerns of the trade war could be the price of cars.