Are ETFs safe in a doomsday scenario?

I heard that “stocks only go up.” Ha ha. And so does the dollar. But what if? What if we experience rapid inflation, banks get into trouble, financial markets take a steep dive… you know, the doomsday stuff. I saw mentioned somewhere that ETFs are not safe in that environment. I guess they’re implying you should buy gold and bury it in your back yard.

But here’s a slightly more grounded question: In that environment, are stocks safer than ETFs of stocks? I’m hoping to read more than just guesses… Thanks!

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