He and other rich people got a break from the beating they've been taking: Stocks bounced, with the Dow ending yesterday's session up more than 600 points.

But is the bounce to be trusted? And are there better, more tangible, alternatives to investing in stocks?

We'll try to answer both questions in today's update… We'll also respond to a reader's feedback on Mr. Trump in today's Mailbag.

Stripped Gears

Yesterday's bump confirms the mainstream view: There is nothing to worry about. The recent sell-off is just a case of nerves, not a sign of an epizootic.

Here is U.S. Trust, a private bank for the ultra-wealthy, reassuring its customers:

The action in the past few days has been based on fears that we will revisit the market environment from 1997 to 1998, in which the Asian currency crisis led to a sizable correction in world equity markets.