Last month the bull market officially became the oldest ever as it surpassed 3,453 days. But it raises the question, are you too late to the party to invest now? Are stocks too expensive? And of course, where should you put your money now? Those are some of the questions I put to Jack Otter, Associate Publisher of Barron’s and a long-time personal finance expert.
Here are the takeaways:
- Yes, the market is up 320 percent from its lows, and that’s a concern for Otter, who reminds small investors that the market can stay irrational longer than the individual can stay solvent.
- What do you do if you’re worried that a sell-off is imminent? He says a well-balanced, diversified portfolio is the best defense. That means an allocation of assets appropriate for your age. In other words, the closer you are to retirement, the more your portfolio should be away from high octane investments like technology and other growth stocks.
- Like a lot of avid market watchers, Otter believes that it’s time to consider moving beyond the so-called fang stocks, big cap, high growth companies like Facebook and Netflix. Although, he says, a handful of these still have room to run because they aren’t that expensive compared to their earnings streams.
- Finally, Otter recommends two sectors for consideration – healthcare and commodities – as good options for investors worried about the inevitable fall market choppiness.
Take a listen to the podcast! Follow me on Twitter @gerriwillisFBN and on Facebook, where my handle is GerriWillis. You can also find me on Instagram at Gerri_Willis.
Bottom line, I want to hear from you! What money issues do you want to explore? Tell me and we will get it on the podcast. Have a great day and remember, Rich is NOT a Four-Letter Word!
If you enjoyed this podcast, leave a review!
