The financial challenges of 2008 and the economic recession that followed are unforgettable to most investors. Most investors saw their portfolios lose 30 percent or more of their value. Workers saw their IRAS and 401(k) plans drop to a level that threatened their retirement plans.
Rather than making rational decisions during a crisis and bare markets, most investors overact to issues. This could make things worse. Though many people panicked and sold their hard-earned assets at a low price, a number of patient investors saw the financial crisis of 2008 as an opportunity. Here are essential investment strategies that you can implement during the time of crisis.
1. Choose low-risk investments
A recession isn’t the best period to experiment or start taking risks with your investments. An important aspect of your recession-period investment plan should be staying safe financially. That means you should avoid investing in companies that are highly speculative or leveraged. Find organizations with reliable cash flow and manageable debt. This is the best investment opportunity.
2. Invest in a recession-resistant industry
Avoid cyclical goods and services, particularly during a crisis. During uncertain times, consumers spent more resources on essential things. That means it is safe to focus on investing in non-cyclical industries that offer products that rarely get influenced by the time of the year and turbulence in the economic system.
Most of the recession-resistant industries focus on consumer essentials. Also, you may want to invest in other industries, such as discount stores, grocery stores, funeral services, cosmetics services, and alcohol manufacturing.
3. Ensure diversification
You must have heard that you should never put all your eggs in a single basket. You should never invest all your money in a single sector, even if the investment includes the consumer essentials mentioned previously.
During economic challenges, there’s always a dark cloud hanging over markets. That means diversifying across different industries can protect you from huge losses if a specific industry or product loses value. It’s also important to ensure diversification across your asset classes such as equities.
4. Invest in real estate
Recession and financial crises can cause serious losses to different industries. However, the real estate industry can withstand the impact of the economic crisis, particularly if you make wise investment choices. In most cases, recession results in a significant drop in property values. That means you can acquire property at an affordable price. Later, you can sell the same property at a better price once the economy and market recover.
Also, you can opt to rent out the property to generating reliable income during the crisis and even after.
5. Dividend stocks
This is an effective strategy to generate passive income. Once you invest in a company, you receive a portion of the organization’s earnings. It is recommended to look for organizations with a low debt-to-equity ratio.
It would be best if you focus on investing in a fully reliable company. Choose a company whose dividend payouts have been increasing over the past 25 years. Be sure to check for consistency in increased payouts. This can help you know whether or not the company is reliable.
6. Invest in precious metals
Gold and other precious metals in the commodity markets are widely known for retaining their value even during periods of economic recession and uncertainty. Just like gold, silver performs fairly too. Remember, investing in precious metals require a well though tout strategy. So, consult with an expert who can help you think your strategy through and help you make the right investment decisions.
7. Manage your assets wisely
During the period of recession and turbulence in the economic sector, property owners and other investors are put to the test. Investment strategies and asset management get questioned as budgets tighten, and stock market losses force investors to rethink their long-term investment strategies.
According to investment experts, asset management practices could either break or ensure that your business survives the recession. Consult with an expert to ensure the right asset management strategy is implemented.
Wrap up
Economic crises happen after every few years or decades, and this could result in economic depression and recessions. In the 20th century, there were about twenty economic crises. Besides, geopolitical events like terrorist attacks and wars caused a sudden drop in markets.
Behavioral finance indicates that people are more prone to panic during these events, and the chances are that they will not act rationally, just like the traditional finance theory predicts. Investors with discipline and who understand that the market will rebound back from recession purchase assets, and later sell them at a higher value.
If you want to invest during crises, timing is key. Buying assets too early or too late could serve to compound your losses and probably take away your gains.
