‘Today’ Explains Why Lower Stock Market Can Be a Good Thing

The media have been riding every ebb and flow of the stock market trying to determine what it indicates for the U.S. economy.

Even with volatility over the last four months, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is still up a little more than 5 percent for the year.

But Suze Orman, host of CNBC's "The Suze Orman Show," told viewers on NBC's November 13 "Today" that if you're investing for retirement, a lower stock market is exactly what you want.

"If we just simply look first of all at the stock market, and I know it's been going down and down lately," Orman said. "Why if you are investing in a 401(k) plan, you have 10, 20, 30 years until you need this money - I said this over and over again - you don't want the stock market to go up. You want the stock market to go down and down and down. If it goes down, your money that you put in every month, it buys more shares. The more shares you own, the more money you make when the market eventually turns around and goes back up."

Stock market swings have created a panic among some media personalities, including CNBC "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer's infamous "Armageddon" rant on CNBC's August 6 "Street Signs." However, Orman advised investors to think long-term and exercise discretion when investing for retirement.

"So for those of you who are investing for a long term, which should be most of you, if you are investing in the market - don't be upset about stocks," Orman said. "As long as you're in a good quality mutual fund, good quality stock, you have diversification both here and overseas - you're doing great."