Inflation. Supply chain holdups. Labor shortage. Great markets. Bad markets.
Do you get the feeling that 2022 is going to be another strange, stressful year as far as your wealth is concerned? When you hear people talking about inflation, or when you hear them talking about bull markets versus bear, it might make you nervous. But it’s important to remember that inflation doesn’t always equate to a bad market. That’s because inflation and a down market are two separate problems—although they do affect each other to some degree.
As Ray Hobson, CFP, with HF Advisory Group puts it, “The biggest risk that is caused by inflation is a reduction in purchasing power of the dollar. So, keeping investment growth higher than inflation is an important factor to consider when choosing the most appropriate investments.”
Inflation Vs. A Bad Market
Inflation is a problem directly caused by supply and demand. Most people already understand that when there’s a limited supply of goods but demand remains steady or even increases, the cost of those goods will inevitably increase. That explains why so many price tags are reflecting higher numbers. Shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2020 and some of 2021, as well as workforce labor shortage, have meant that many companies aren’t able to produce as much as they normally would. As restrictions have been lifted and more consumers start to buy again the way they did before the pandemic, those consumers need to be prepared to pay more for those products that are harder to get. As an example, U.S. Bank cites that fewer new cars are available on the market today than in years past; at the same time, more people are buying used cars. Because of this, the cost of both new and used cars has gone up.
But if it seems as if the inflated prices you’re seeing are especially bad, you’re not wrong. In fact, MarketWatch reported that at the end of 2021, inflation was at the highest it had ever been in 31 years.
That doesn’t necessarily mean investors need to worry about the market going bad. Your cash might not be as valuable—in other words, each dollar you have is able to buy less than it would before prices were inflated—but investments will actually become more valuable. U.S. Bank explains that over the past 30 years, when inflation accelerates, the price of stock tends to go up as well. Companies are bringing in more revenue, so shares of those companies become more valuable.
You Can’t Always Predict the Market
Currently, the market is moving like a bull. But not everyone is optimistic. In November 2021, CNBC reported on a survey from Morgan Stanley’s E-Trade Financial that showed millionaire investors were very concerned about stock market holdings—as concerned as they were in the second quarter of 2020, right after the pandemic shut down the economy.
But bull markets aren’t always something that can be predicted, despite what some analysts claim. In fall 2021, MarketWatch columnist Mark Hulbert argued in an opinion piece “Why you won’t know it when a bear market starts” that it’s only in hindsight people can really recognize a bull market top. In October 2007, the stock market was at its highest before the financial crisis that led to the great recession, but despite the signs, Hulbert says, few recognized what was coming.
Hobson agrees with the notion of unpredictability. “There are many factors that affect the stock market,” he says. “Trying to predict a downturn in stock prices is extremely difficult to do. I always recommend investors to choose their investments based on two factors: their risk tolerance and the time frame for when they want to use the money, i.e. short term versus long term investment.”
Hypothetically speaking, if 2022 were to see a turn toward a bear market, the biggest risk would be the availability or liquidity, or cash, when it’s needed. “You don’t want to be in a situation where you have to sell a position because you ‘need’ the cash,” Hobson says. “Time frame for when investments will be needed is crucial when deciding what investments to choose.”
Will all investments perform the same way when the market changes? No, Hobson says. “When the stock market is underperforming based on historical returns, investors sometimes will ‘short’ the market meaning that they will benefit if stock prices drop,” he explains. “Others will resort to traditionally safe investments such as cash or gold. But it is not a one size fits all approach; there are many factors that determine where to invest, the biggest ones being risk tolerance and time frame.”
Another risk that investors face is the panic they feel when the market starts to take a turn downward—they get scared and make a knee-jerk decision to sell many of their assets before they depreciate in value. Those who have the time to wait out a bad market will benefit from holding onto their assets until the market improves. Unfortunately, people who are living off their portfolio won’t necessarily have the same luxury of patience.
If you want to take advantage of accelerating inflation, there are several investments you could consider. The Balance says that stocks are a good investment because many companies are seeing increased revenue when prices are inflated. Investopedia emphasizes that stocks are overall more volatile when the economy sees inflation, but value stocks (that is, stock in companies with stronger cash flows that tend to eventually slow down) tend to do better when compared with growth stocks (that is, stock in companies without cash flow but gradually increase in value), which tend to be better investments when inflation is low.
When the Market is Down, and When the Market is Up
The way you react to the market is going to be different based on your goals and your situation. Young investors who have plenty of time to let their investments appreciate aren’t going to have to make the same moves as seniors who are retired and often depending on their investments for income. A young investor could take advantage of a downturn by investing in the stock market or by investing in bonds or CDs.
An investor with less time and flexibility won’t have that luxury. One option that Kiplinger suggests is selling investments at a loss so you have the option of writing them off on your taxes (part of a strategy known as “tax loss harvesting”). While this doesn’t necessarily bring you cash, it does lessen your tax burden.
BankRate predicts there could still be problems in the economy throughout 2022 even though the stock market has continued to stay high since 2020. One of the best moves for cruising along in a volatile market is putting together a portfolio with less risk, such as savings bonds, CDs, and U.S. Treasury bills. These investments come with less risk, so there will be less reward—but such investments could allow you to preserve what you have instead of losing it.
As for when the market starts to get better? Well, just as it’s difficult to predict when the market is going to take a turn for the worst, it’s also difficult to determine when the market is going to get better. But investors keeping a finger to the pulse of the market always strive to buy stocks early once the market starts to improve, as this will allow them to make more money once the value starts to increase.
The Least You Should Consider
“What’s important to remember is what the goal of the investing is,” Hobson says. “Is the investment designed to supplement retirement income or is it for college funding, maybe it’s for a future home purchase? How many years away will I need to access these investments? The actual purpose for the investment is a bigger factor in determining when to invest than the movement of the market because that can be unpredictable.”
If you’re going to plan for the worst but hope for the best, you can’t make any move until you’ve figured out what your own personal goals are. Once you’ve done that, it’s best to seek assistance and guidance from a professional, such as a Certified Financial Planner, who can provide specific insight into how the market works and how you can create a portfolio that’s best for your specific needs.
