Investors may be hesitant to put fresh money into stocks now as market volatility surges. The CBOE Volatility Index is one of the most widely used indicators to measure market risk and investor sentiment. Recently, it climbed above 20 and briefly spiked near 28, its highest level of 2026 so far, driven in part by ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
During such uncertain periods, investors prefer safer assets over growth stocks. However, not every growth opportunity should be overlooked. While software stocks are struggling now, Braze (BRZE) could be an excellent buy-and-hold opportunity over the next several years.
