Most of us know where to invest money in good times, but when it appears like the sky might be falling, knowing where to invest money and how to invest it becomes a puzzle. In 2014 and 2015 good investments may be hard to find, particularly if yesterday’s good investments like stocks and bonds tank. This is not a prediction, but instead a “heads up.” You can’t prepare if you’re unaware, so let’s have a closer look at the sky.
We all know that safe choices like money market funds and bank savings accounts don’t appear to be good investments for 2014 since they pay peanuts. But imagine if the sky starts falling: either interest levels ignite and/or the currency markets tanks? Either way or both… where you can invest money is the question of your day. Safe choices can look like good investments for parking money that must be safe.
Wall Street’s traditional answer to where you can invest money: put about 60% into stocks with about 40% in bonds holding a cash reserve on the sidelines. Problem: in 2014 and 2015 losses in stocks might not be offset by gains in bonds… as was the case going back 30 years roughly. If interest levels soar from today’s record-low levels, neither stocks nor bonds appear to be good investments.
For over 30 years interest rates were falling and bonds were generally good investments. With today’s ridiculously low rates (developed by our government to stimulate the economy) a rebound in interest rates is in the cards (because the government unwinds its stimulus). When that occurs, bonds will no longer be where to invest money for higher interest income with relative safety. Bonds aren’t good investments when rates go up; they lose money. That is the way it works. How to invest in bonds in 2014 and 2015 if rates take off: reduce and choose safety.
Stocks had been excellent investments five years running because the year 2014 began. This is at least in part due to government stimulus and cheap money. In a way, stocks were where to invest money because nothing looked cheap aside from money (short term interest levels were set at about one-tenth of one percent). binomo login With an increase of over 150% in five years, the downside risk in the stock market is mounting. This begs the question of how to invest money in stocks if the sky starts to check ominous.
Remember that the stock market is actually a market of stocks, meaning that the vast majority of stocks get hit when the market crumbles – but at least a few will undoubtedly be good investments. And the ultimate way to find good investments in a negative market is to watch the purchase price action. For example, because the market climbed 30% in 2013, some gold stocks were down about 50% by early 2014. Unless you know how to invest in or how to select a specific gold stock… you should know where you can invest money to obtain a piece of this action. The answer is to invest money in gold funds and let them select the gold stocks for you personally.
The end result is that in 2014 and 2015 investors face an uphill battle, because both stocks and bonds look pricey. That presents a fresh challenge to today’s investor searching for where you can invest money. We are facing uncharted waters in this modern electronic world, where no one really knows how to invest or how to locate good investments for the future. This includes the big investors like life insurance companies and pension funds.
My suggestion would be to take some profits in your stocks and bonds, as the tide will turn eventually or even in 2014 or 2015. Then you’ll have cash reserve, so you can take advantage of the situation because the skies darkens. Smart investors are always in search of where you can invest money next, particularly when a change of trend is in the cards. At such times, yesterday’s underperforming sectors or industries often become today’s good investments.