How much you lose in a crisis is decided not by the choice of individual securities but by the shares: how much in stocks, in bonds, in gold and cash.

Here is how three mixes went through the worst of five crises since 2000 (this site's calculation):

Cautious — a quarter in stocks, half in bonds, the rest gold and cash: about −14%.
Moderate — half in stocks: about −24%.
Aggressive — 80% in stocks and 10% in bitcoin: about −45%.

Shares are chosen by two things. Horizon: the sooner you need the money, the fewer stocks. Nerves: what fall you can sit through without selling. The right mix is not the most profitable one but the one you will hold to the end.

Portfolio and risk

By asset type: stocks, bonds, gold, cash.
By sector: technology, health care, consumer staples, energy.
By country: not just one market.