Though it may sound like it, the title of this post isn’t meant to be a tongue twister. The stock market truly is looking for stability right now. The volatility that has occurred since the Flash Crash of May 6th has been a negative for investor confidence and what we now need is some solid footing to build a base from. The summer trading season is coming soon and that generally means lighter volumes and it can lead to increased volatility when news breaks. Right now the stock market doesn’t need a huge catalyst on the upside, rather it just needs the bad news to stop pouring in.

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the constant concerns about the European crisis and the plunge of the Euro have led to a whole lot of uncertainty about where things will go in the near-term for stocks. It hasn’t helped a bit that the jobs data and the retail sales reports have come in weaker than expected, since many have been banking on a healthy recovery in the economy. The European fears may be overdone here in the United States, but I can’t fault investors for worrying about the oil spill and the economic data.

While traders may see volatility as a great thing since they are able to make more money during these times, I am fully convinced that for the average investor stability and a nice quiet market is much healthier. You’ll find that those days with huge swings in the market tend to end up negative more often than not.

The game plan for investors should be to be ready to scoop up quality names during significant drops in the market, but don’t jump in with both feet until we see a little bit quieter action in stocks. There’s no sense trying to be a hero in this market. Play it smart and be cautious with your investments!