What stocks to buy in a bad economy?
The best recession stocks include consumer staples, utilities and healthcare companies, all of which produce goods and services that consumers can't do without, no matter how bad the economy gets.
Stock | Implied upside from Feb. 21 close |
---|---|
Walmart Inc. (ticker: WMT) | 4.8% |
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) | 6.9% |
Synopsys Inc. (SNPS) | 6.3% |
Accenture PLC (ACN) | 3.6% |
- Stock funds. A stock fund, either an ETF or a mutual fund, is a great way to invest during a recession. ...
- Dividend stocks. ...
- Real estate. ...
- High-yield savings account. ...
- Bonds. ...
- Highly indebted companies. ...
- High-risk assets such as options.
And, if prices start to rise, you'll end up buying more shares at the lower prices and fewer shares when your favorite stocks start to get more expensive. In a nutshell, a recession can be a great time to buy the stocks of top-notch businesses at favorable prices.
Reasons to invest more—or not
The sharp declines in stock prices that occur during a crisis or recession may present good opportunities to invest. Some companies may be undervalued by the market. Others may have a business model that makes them more resilient to an economic downturn.
Key Takeaways. During a recession, most investors should avoid investing in companies that are highly leveraged, cyclical, or speculative, as these companies pose the biggest risk of doing poorly during tough economic times.
Companies in the business of providing tools and materials for home improvement, maintenance, and repair projects are likely to see stable or even increasing demand during a recession. So do many appliance repair service people. New home builders, though, do not get in on the action.
- Invest in stocks. Every investor wants to buy low and sell high. A stock market downturn during a recession might be an opportune time for bargain hunters. ...
- Invest in real estate. Real estate offers another potentially lucrative opportunity during a recession.
Historically, the industries considered to be the most defensive and better placed to fare reasonably during recessions are utilities, health care, and consumer staples.
Contrary to investor expectations, several growth stocks including Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) grew during the 2008 recession, so investors don't have to ignore growth stocks to be conservative.
Is cash King during a recession?
For investors, “cash is king during a recession” sums up the advantages of keeping liquid assets on hand when the economy turns south. From weathering rough markets to going all-in on discounted investments, investors can leverage cash to improve their financial positions.
Where to put money during a recession. Putting money in savings accounts, money market accounts, and CDs keeps your money safe in an FDIC-insured bank account (or NCUA-insured credit union account). Alternatively, invest in the stock market with a broker.
Company | Industry | Return, 1932 to 1954 |
---|---|---|
Container Corp. of America | Packaging | 37,199% |
Truax Traer Coal | Coal | 30,503% |
International Paper & Power | Paper, hydroelectric power | 30,501% |
Spicer Manufacturing | Auto parts | 26,221% |
Cash Is King During a Recession
As companies cut back and job losses mount, “it's better to be safe than sorry and beef up cash reserves during times of high employment.” However, selling investments to get cash in anticipation of a recession is risky. You might sell prematurely and get trapped in cash as markets rise.
- Defensive sector stocks and funds.
- Dividend-paying large-cap stocks.
- Government bonds and top-rated corporate bonds.
- Treasury bonds.
- Gold.
- Real estate.
- Cash and cash equivalents.
Cash. Cash is an important asset when it comes to a recession. After all, if you do end up in a situation where you need to pull from your assets, it helps to have a dedicated emergency fund to fall back on, especially if you experience a layoff.
Many people who owned stocks that went down a lot would have been OK eventually, except they bought on margin and were ruined. The best performing investments during the Depression were government bonds (many corporations stopped paying interest on their bonds) and annuities.
Cyclical industries including manufacturing and energy tend to experience particularly sharp declines. Companies with high fixed costs like retailers and technology suppliers face a disproportionate hit to the bottom line as revenue declines.
Billionaire Wall Street legend and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett reportedly earned more than $10 billion in profit on his Great Recession investments by late 2013.
- Retail. According to economists, the retail industry is among the industries most affected by recession in 2023. ...
- Restaurant. ...
- Travel & Tourism. ...
- Real Estate. ...
- Manufacturing.
What sector will boom in 2024?
Tech Still Rules the Roost
Tech continues to dominate in 2024. As businesses expand digital capabilities, demand soars for everything from cybersecurity to cloud services and data analytics. 5G infrastructure is the backbone supporting much of this tech-fueled future, delivering internet speeds 10 times faster than 4G.
So, central bankers can make money more or less expensive, but whichever way they pull the lever, it tends to favour the rich. The diamond-encrusted cherry on this deeply unpalatable cake is that not only do the rich get richer in recessions: in doing so, they actually make recessions worse for everyone else.
An emergency fund of six months will help you face potential financial hardships. In addition, during recessions, people with access to cash are in a better position to take advantage of investment opportunities that can significantly improve their finances long-term.
Omega Advisors billionaire CEO and chairman Leon Cooperman warned Wednesday that while the U.S. economy is "doing fine" at the moment, there is risk of a recession in 2024. Cooperman said a recession in 2024 would be due in-part to the effect inflated energy prices and quantitative tightening would have over that time.
Walmart stock is a Strong Buy, according to analysts, with 25 Buys and three Holds assigned in the past three months.