5 key lessons for investors after this week's wild stock market ride

Investors have had a wild ride this week, with the S&P 500 swinging from its biggest one-day loss in almost two years to its best performance in the same period. Aside from delivering whiplash, the stock market is also sending some important signals to ordinary investors, savers and consumers alike, experts say. 

The recent bout of volatility was sparked by concerns that the U.S. economy is slowing – or could even buckle into a recession — after some weak economic data, including the disappointing August 2 employment report. The slowdown in hiring is raising the specter that the Federal Reserve has acted too slowly to cut interest rates, which the central bank last month maintained at their highest level in 23 years. 

The stock market rout, with the S&P dropping 6% in a three-day period, was especially unsettling for employees trying to save for retirement and for current retirees, as well as for people socking away money to buy a home or make another big-ticket purchase.