1 Ask a trader about the state of the stock market and it’ll cost you $200 an hour. Unless you’re a woman. Wall Street guys like to talk to women. Over drinks with strangers, we learned to watch sectors that are growing, and invest in the companies within that sector that are growing faster than the sector itself. Since wireless companies are booming, for example, Verizon and AT&T are wise choices.

2 When there’s turmoil in the market, investors tend to put their money into reliable investments, such as gold (which one broker projected to hit $1,000 per ounce very soon). Gold-mining companies from China, India, Brazil and Russia are especially likely to rise in value. One broker mused that a cultural shift will create interest in gold, as a new generation of Chinese couples adopts the Western tradition of gold wedding rings.

3 Forget Netflix, despite the “everything’s going online” hype. Blockbuster, one broker said, is likely to maintain an edge due to its old-school brick-and-mortar locations.

4 Banks are bombing on Wall Street. But some brokers are optimistic for an eventual upturn. If you’re looking to buy bank shares at a reduced rate, “quality companies that offer value”—like Citibank—are likely to bounce back.

5 Finally, gamble on the market’s demise by purchasing short-selling stocks—meaning you sell a stock with a contract to purchase it again at a later date. “If the company takes a nosedive in value,” said one toasted Charles Schwab exec, “you bank your savings.”

—Heidi Patalano