Are you feeling anxious about rising interest rates and inflation? Fortunately, there are a number of alternative investments that can help lessen the effects of inflation and even help secure wealth. But is the risk worth it? Let’s Find out.
Inflation may have peaked in July, but that doesn’t mean interest rates will be peaking anytime soon. U.S. inflation rates remain well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. The Federal Open Market Committee has already raised interest rates by 2.25% this year, and the bond market is currently anticipating further hikes before the end of 2023.
First Off – Don’t Panic!
While rising interest rates can sound scary, they’re still well below the historical average of 5%. Remember that when you invest in bonds or other fixed-income products, you’re actually buying an asset that pays you back at a fixed rate of return—thus helping to provide you with a guaranteed income stream no matter what happens in the economy or stock market, assuming there have been no defaults.
While many investors are understandably worried about the effects of rising interest rates on their portfolios, there are many investment options that tend to thrive in a rising interest rate environment. Re-evaluate your portfolio with your trusted Fiduciary advisor and consider these strategies to help maximize your potential return and help protect your investments.
Investing in Equities?
Investors often have the perception that equities are high risk and hence the aversion. What often people do not realize is that equities can be one of the best asset classes to beat inflation with a margin and thus create wealth over a long period.
Equities generally offer a reliable haven during inflationary times. That’s because stocks historically tend to produce total returns that exceed inflation. And some stocks do better than others at fending off inflation – so always consult with your financial professional before making investment moves.
It’s worth noting that equities is an asset class meant to be long term thus helping ensure that you create wealth. So always try to stay invested in the markets from a long-term perspective.
Invest in Cash Companies?
As interest rates rise, cash-rich companies benefit from the higher returns on their cash reserves. Investors can look for companies with low debt-to-equity ratios or companies with large percentages of book value in the form of cash.
Accordingly, investors want to see that cash deployed for organic growth opportunities, acquisitions, dividends, and share buybacks. It can be a good investment strategy to identify companies that have a mix of high cash balances and growth prospects that could lead to some strong returns as cash is put to work.
Invest in Gold?
Many investors use gold as a hedge against inflation, especially if the nation’s currency is losing value. Gold, as a very real asset and a commodity we felt needed to be called out individually, tends to hold its value fairly well and can be a stabilizing investment during uncertain times for investors. This isn’t a perfect investment, of course, but it can be good to utilize as part of a diversified portfolio as inflation gets out of hand.
Some investors like investing in gold stocks because they offer exposure to gold. However, it’s important to note that you are, in fact, investing in stocks and not actual, physical gold. Learn more about investing in gold here.
Invest in Real Estate?
Bear markets, which are marked by a drop in values of 20% or more, can happen in the real estate or stock market, temporarily crushing prices. While they are no fun to endure if you’re actively invested, they can be a tremendous time to load up on new real estate investments since prices are down.
But there is a bright side: real estate prices tend to rise with, and often even outpace, interest rates. Buying real estate or investing in real estate investment trusts (REITs) is one way to realize profits from a rising rate environment.
Rental property can be an incredible long-term investment, one that provides reliable passive income and growth as real estate values increase. Just keep in mind that lending often tightens during bear markets, making it more difficult to borrow money to purchase a rental property. So it’s important to have some liquidity to help you take advantage of these market opportunities.
Risk Management
As with ALL investments, there comes risk. In some cases, you could lose some or all of the money you invested. In other cases, you may have to bear market price fluctuation. Then, there are cases where you lose income or return on investment.
It’s not always because of risks that can be readily identified. Quite often it’s because of the risks that cannot be readily identified—unforeseeable events or occurrences. In the investment industry, these events are considered to be so remote, that they are completely unforeseen. Unfortunately in today’s highly volatile markets, these types of events are not only more frequent, perhaps they aren’t as unforeseeable as they are thought to be. Here are a few things investors may consider so that volatile events hopefully won’t feel as tumultuous as they appear to be:
- Diversify Your Portfolio: As well as diversifying stocks, it might also be a good idea to be diversified across asset classes (which can include corporate bonds, government bonds, and futures).
- Determine Risk Tolerance: Different investors are at different stages in their life. Risk tolerance is a personal choice, but it’s good to keep perspective on personal time horizons, and manage risk according to when access to funds from different assets is needed.
- Portfolio Insurance: Portfolio insurance is the strategy of hedging a portfolio of stocks against market risk by short-selling stock index futures. Short selling index futures can offset any downturns, but it also hinders any gains.
- Remain Calm: As mentioned at the start of this article, it is very easy for an investor to lose their head in the madness of dramatic market moves—but it’s important to realize that this is just part of how markets work.
Invest With Johnson Wealth and Income Management
These days, everyone is worried about inflation, and for good reason. It is wise for investors to gain as much understanding of a variety of investing tools as possible. Having a variety of tools, knowledge and skills will allow an investor to achieve greater diversification and potentially have a greater discipline to manage risk.
Our experienced Fiduciary financial advisors can help answer your questions and make recommendations on how you should diversify your portfolio. Whichever investment method you decide is right for you, Johnson Wealth and Income Management is here to help you every step of the way. If you’re looking for an experienced firm that can provide income planning with the utmost level of care and professionalism, look no further.
For more information on investing in a volatile market, contact us here today.
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