Economic News

Historic Fed Rate Hikes (Again): Where Do We Go from Here?

Historic Fed Rate Hikes (Again): Where Do We Go from Here?

At its March 2nd Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Federal Reserve board voted to raise short-term rates another 25 basis points—the second such increase this year. It was the ninth rate hike since March 22, 2022, in an all-out effort to tame rising inflation, which had surged to its highest levels in 40 years.

 

The number of rate hikes is not unprecedented—the Fed increased rates 17 times between 2004 and 2006 to cool a bubbling housing market. What is unprecedented is the velocity of the rate hikes, taking the short-term rate from near zero to nearly 5.0% in a relatively short period of time. That period included four increases of 75 basis points and two 50-point hikes. Such steep increases have been unheard of in the last three decades.

 

By some measures, inflation appears to be cooling somewhat though prices of many essential items remain at record high levels. Where the Fed goes from here is not entirely clear. Since its initial burst of rate hikes last year, the Fed has been walking a tightrope in trying to curb rising inflation without tipping the economy into a deep recession.

 

Recent Events Increasing Fed Challenges

 

In an ideal world, the Fed would be able to gradually moderate inflation by closely calibrating its rate hikes until demand and supply are balanced while allowing the economy to grow. But the events of the first quarter of 2023 have reaffirmed that this isn’t an ideal world, which complicates the Fed’s job and notches up the tension on the tightrope.

 

Though the stock market rebounded nicely in the first quarter, it wasn’t without significant economic and geopolitical drama, creating a wall of worry for the market to climb. In just three months, we’ve experienced several remarkable and potentially cataclysmic events, including:

 

  • Rising tensions between the U.S. and China punctuated by the downing of a Chinese spy balloon that was allowed to traverse most of the U.S.
  • The U.S. inching closer to a “hot war” with Russia as it escalates its military aid to Ukraine.
  • The second largest bank failure in U.S. history with fears of more to come.
  • Brazil and Saudi Arabia joining China, Russia, and a dozen other countries in replacing the U.S. dollar as their primary trading currency.
  • An unexpected reduction in oil production by OPEC+, driving up oil prices sharply with an increase in gas prices to follow.
  • Lingering concerns over an imminent recession.

 

And that was just one quarter. In most years, any one of these events would weigh heavily on the U.S. economy. The Fed must contend with all of them at once as they consider their next move.

 

How Did We Get Here? 

 

With interest rates already near zero at the beginning of the pandemic, the Federal Reserve put quantitative easing on steroids as the economy plunged into a recession, ballooning the federal balance sheet to nearly $9 trillion. This was done to increase the money supply and stimulate economic growth during the damaging COVID pandemic. As the growth of production of goods and services slowed, the raging money supply growth eventually overtook it, causing the price of goods and services to be bid up. When too many dollars are facing too few goods, you get inflation. 

 

Then add in supply chain issues and increasing wages occurring at the time, causing employers to have to pay more to get people to come to work. That contributed heavily to inflationary pressures on the market. Despite the record low unemployment numbers at the time, there were still four to five million people not working, not contributing to production, which also contributed to the supply chain issues and rising prices.  

 

Often ignored in the inflation equation is the velocity of money—the rate at which money is exchanged in the economy. Following the financial crisis in 2008 and the COVID pandemic in 2020, consumers were more inclined to save their additional dollars out of caution. During COVID, it was also because many services were no longer available for purchase, such as travel and restaurants. 

 

Then, as COVID restrictions lifted, consumer activity reached pre-pandemic levels, increasing the velocity of money and setting the stage for more prolonged inflation.

 

As the inflation rate began to tick up in 2021, the Federal Reserve viewed it as transitory, caused by temporary supply and demand imbalances that would self-correct. That didn’t happen and inflation worsened, catching the Fed and everyone else off guard. That’s the reason the Fed took such drastic actions in 2022, increasing fears it could lead to a deeper recession.

 

Where We Go from Here

 

 Consumers have been spoiled by low interest rates for a while. However, to put higher rates in perspective, mortgage rates, which are currently hovering around 6%, were as high as 18.5% in the 1980s. A normal business cycle lasts about six years, which usually encompasses an economic slump and an economic recovery.

 

Coming off a deep, albeit short-lived, recession in 2020, interest rates were kept low for an extended time and must now rise to combat inflation. The good news for consumers is an increase in rates is inevitably followed by a decrease in rates. The bad news is that it typically happens when the economy is slowing down. 

 

At Platt Wealth Management, we remain committed to helping you navigate these challenging times. We also encourage you to stay informed and engaged with the economy and markets. As we’ve seen throughout history, the markets are resilient, and they recover to new highs over time.

 

Of course, we are always here to answer your most pressing questions and address your concerns. Simply reach out to the office to schedule a time to speak with your advisor.

 

Sincerely,

Your Platt Wealth Management Team

 

 

Resources:

 

Federal Reserve Board’s press release on the latest rate hike: https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20230302a.htm

 

FOMC meeting calendar and information: https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomccalendars.htm

 

A history of Fed rate hikes: https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2015/september/short-history-federal-reserve-interest-rate-changes

 

Bureau of Labor Statistics on inflation: https://www.bls.gov/cpi/

 

Supply chain disruptions and their impact on inflation: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2021/10/12/how-global-supply-chain-disruptions-are-fueling-inflation/

 

The velocity of money and its impact on inflation: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/velocity.asp

 

Federal Reserve’s perspective on transitory inflation: https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/brainard20210601a.htm

 

Historical mortgage rates in the U.S.: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGE30US

 

Business cycle basics: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/businesscycle.asp

 

 

 

 

 

Are you on track for retirement?

 

Making sure you will be ready for retirement can be overwhelming. Funding your retirement accounts over the years is a critical part of your journey to the retirement of your dreams. An experienced Financial Advisor can help you navigate the complexities of investment management. Talk to a Financial Advisor>

Dream. Plan. Do.

Platt Wealth Management offers financial plans to answer your important financial questions. Where are you? Where do you want to be? How can you get there? Our four-step financial planning process is designed to be a road map to get you where you want to go while providing flexibility to adapt to changes along the route. We offer stand alone plans or full wealth management plans that include our investment management services. Give us a call today to set up a complimentary review. 619-255-9554.

5 Tips to Stay Calm During a Market Downturn

5 Tips to Stay Calm During a Market Downturn

Is the economy slowing down? How will rising interest rates impact my finances? Is a recession around the corner? Scroll through any newsfeed and you’ll hear these unsettling questions. And while the headlines can be alarming, we remind our clients of the benefits of staying calm, cool, and collected—keeping their eyes off the headlines and focused on the end goals we have set up for them. 

 

Stay Invested

 

Some of the costliest mistakes investors make come down to one thing and one thing only…their emotions! If you have a sound investment strategy, there’s no reason to “jump ship” in a downturn. This is called panic selling. Panic-selling is when you sell your assets when values are down to try and avoid further loss, with the intention of “jumping back in” when the market has recovered. The thing is, though, that we never know when or where the bottom is, nor do we know when it will recover.

 

Remember Big Dips Can Precede Large Surges

 

And, because the market has some of its best days right after some of its worst, most investors miss out on the recovery and end up re-buying similar assets at a higher price—plus the liability on tax events they may have triggered by liquidating their assets. Just consider those who sold at the bottom of the March 2020 COVID-induced drop and missed out on the miraculous, V-shaped recovery we saw over the next two years.  If fear prompts you to sell, you could miss the upside.

 

Take Your Eyes (and Ears) Off the Market

 

Where focus goes, energy flows. The more you buy into the headlines, the more emotionally affected you may be by them. But no matter how diligently we watch the headlines, none of us can control what will happen with the stock market. So, if you feel the noise in the media tempting you to make a financial move you might regret, just tune out the noise. And of course, connect with your financial advisor to discuss your concerns. This is often all that is needed to restore a sense of peace and confidence in the financial plan.

 

Focus on What You Can Control

 

There are some aspects of our financial lives that we can control with our actions, and others we cannot. As discussed earlier, we can’t predict market volatility – and we certainly can’t control it – but we can understand that its disruptions are temporary and won’t result in permanent loss. As long as your advisor is re-balancing and speaking with you about how they are handling your portfolio during the downturn, it’s unlikely there is much needed from you—except, of course, your trust in the process, the plan, and the long-term goals your advisor set up for you.

 

Lean on the Help of Your Financial Advisor

 

Your financial advisor is here to help you with more than just investment management, tax planning, and retirement planning. We are here to help you stay even-keeled and level-headed when major and minor events threaten your cool. Of course, we update, re-balance, and diversify your portfolio ongoing to make sure you stay on track to reach your goals, but if a market downturn has you worried, we’d be happy to go over your financial plans with you at any time.

 

Remember, the market moves up and down daily. Market downturns (and upswings) are par for the investing course. We’re here to help you make the most of each situation to maximize your returns long-term.

 

 

 

 

 

Are you on track for retirement?

 

Making sure you will be ready for retirement can be overwhelming. Funding your retirement accounts over the years is a critical part of your journey to the retirement of your dreams. An experienced Financial Advisor can help you navigate the complexities of investment management. Talk to a Financial Advisor>

Dream. Plan. Do.

Platt Wealth Management offers financial plans to answer your important financial questions. Where are you? Where do you want to be? How can you get there? Our four-step financial planning process is designed to be a road map to get you where you want to go while providing flexibility to adapt to changes along the route. We offer stand alone plans or full wealth management plans that include our investment management services. Give us a call today to set up a complimentary review. 619-255-9554.

How Market Cycles Can Impact Retirement

How Market Cycles Can Impact Retirement

Markets go up. Markets go down. But no one can predict when, how, why, or for how long. Ups and downs are par for the investing course, but market cycles can have a greater impact on those nearing or in retirement than those in their accumulation years. That’s because in retirement you simply have less time and fewer opportunities to rebuild your savings should the market take a turn for the worst.

 

So, in order to understand how market cycles can impact your retirement (and what you can do about it) let’s look at some facts.

 

 

Understanding the Impact of Market Cycles

 

The most noticeable impact market cycles can have on your retirement is in regard to income distribution. When you rely on your investments to generate income, a less-than-favorable market cycle can dictate how long your money will last. That’s why it’s imperative to determine the optimal spend down of your assets, which can be complex and based on many factors (both known and unknown).

 

Over the years, many financial advisors have been applying the “4 percent rule,” developed several decades ago by financial planner William Bengen. Bengen modeled various asset allocations and spend-down rates over a 30-year period to see how each would have fared. He found that, between 1926 and 1976, an asset allocation mix of 50 percent stocks and 50 percent bonds enabled retirees to safely draw down four percent of their assets annually without running out of money. 

 

Following that rule in the 1980s and 1990s made sense because bonds and stocks experienced primarily positive returns. It didn’t work quite as well in the 2000s with a largely stagnated stock market, forcing retirees to deplete their assets more quickly.

 

What complicates this rule of thumb is market volatility, which introduces a greater risk to the portfolio. When retirees are drawing down assets during a declining market period, there is a higher probability their assets will not last as long as they’d hoped. The only remedy then seems to be to reduce the spend down rate, live a diminished lifestyle, or risk depleting their assets too soon. And of course, no one wants to run out of money.

 

There is an even greater risk when the market declines at the beginning of retirement. A steep market decline in the first few years before or after retirement, even if followed by a sustained market increase, can severely impact future income. This risk is referred to as a “sequence of returns” or sequence risk and is one that very few DIY investors are privy to. And if they are aware of the risk, they tend not to know how to account for it in their financial plans.

 

The Greatest Risk Retirees Face: Sequence of Returns Risk

 

When it comes to retirement drawdown and market cycles, timing is everything. That’s because a sequence of returns risk stems from the timing of market returns and their impact on your portfolio when you begin to draw down your assets.

 

While it is fair to assume that the market will generate an average rate of return over time, that doesn’t account for the timing of those returns. Your portfolio can average eight percent a year over twenty years, but if the first three to five years consist of negative returns, it could be too much to overcome even if the next fifteen years produced positive returns. 

 

Why? Because loss and gain are not inversely proportional. If stocks in your portfolio decline in value, you need to sell more shares to meet your income needs. That reduces the number of shares left to grow inside your portfolio. During a prolonged market decline, that accelerated depletion of shares could make it difficult for your portfolio value to recover as the market recovers. 

 

Imagine your portfolio like an apple tree. Each year you need to take 40 apples from the tree to survive. Based on the tree’s history, this is a safe rate at which the tree will at least replenish if not surpass restoring those 40 apples. But, if when you begin taking those 40 apples out each year, the tree starts to produce fewer apples—you run the risk of using up all your apples before the tree has a chance to grow more.

 

The Risk (or Reward) is Greatest at the Beginning of Retirement

 

Conversely, drawing down your assets during an advancing market could provide the boost needed to carry your portfolio through future market declines or allow you to live an enhanced lifestyle. That also means if your portfolio experiences negative returns in later years, it will probably have a minimal negative impact. 

 

Consider the following chart showing two portfolios starting with $500,000. Both are drawing down assets at a rate of $25,000 per year adjusted for 3% inflation. Portfolio 1 experiences negative returns in the first three years, followed by multiple cycles of positive and negative years. Portfolio 2 starts out with four years of double-digit returns followed by a typical market pattern of positive and negative returns with three years of negative returns at the end. 

 

 

 

Portfolio 1

 

 

Portfolio 2

 

 

Age

Return

Withdrawal

Value

Return

Withdrawal

Value

65

 

 

$500,000

 

$500,000

 

66

(-23.1%)

$25,000

$365,250

22.7%

$25,000

$582,825

67

(-6.1%)

$25,750

$318,704

19.6%

$25,750

$666,456

68

(-0.3%)

$26,523

$291,397

18.0%

$26,523

$755,377

69

24.5%

$27,318

$328,694

24.5%

$27,318

$906,202

70

18.0%

$28,138

$354,777

(-0.3%)

$28,138

$875,706

71

19.6%

$28,982

$389,764

(-6.1%)

$28,982

$794,858

72

22.7%

$29,851

$441,613

(-23.1%)

$29,851

$588,250

80

(-23.1%)

$37,815

$181,631

22.7%

$37,815

$790,464

81

(-6.1%)

$38,949

$133,941

19.6%

$38,949

$899,073

82

(-0.3%)

$40,118

$93,572

18.0%

$40,118

$1,013,911

83

24.5%

$41,321

$65,035

24.5%

$41,321

$1,210,566

84

18.0%

$42,561

$26,529

(-0.3%)

$42,561

$1,164,868

85

19.6%

$26,529

$0

(-6.1%)

$43,838

$1,052,361

86

22.7%

$0

$0

(-23.1%)

$45,153

$774,491

94

(-23.1%)

$0

$0

22.7%

$57,198

$976,010

95

(-6.1%)

$0

$0

19.6%

$58,914

$1,097,167

96

(-0.3%)

$0

$0

18.0%

$60,682

$1,223,467

97

24.5%

$0

$0

24.5%

$62,502

$1,445,033

98

18.0%

$0

$0

24.5%

$64,377

$1,376,948

99

19.6%

$0

$0

(-0.3%)

$66,308

$1,230,356

100

22.7%

$0

$0

(-6.1%)

$68,298

$893,562

Avg

6.5%

$654,451

$0

(-23.1%)

$1,511,552

$893,562

 

 

For this analysis, the same rates of returns are used in both portfolios, except their sequence is reversed. So, both portfolios generated the same 6.5% average rate of return, yet the outcomes were vastly different due to the sequence of returns. 

 

Key Takeaway

 

While you can’t predict the stock market’s direction, much less the sequence of returns as you enter retirement, you can prepare a diversified portfolio that is designed to handle such possibilities. We help our clients mitigate this risk and provide them with peace of mind that the retirement income plan we have built for them will be able to mitigate the sequence of return risk and boost their overall lifetime income sufficiency.

 

Creating Your Financial Strategy

At Platt Wealth Management, we know that life is about so much more than accumulated wealth and that real, impactful financial planning starts with what you want most out of life. That’s why our mission is to provide the financial expertise our clients need to think through and achieve the dreams they never thought possible. If this sounds like the financial advisory relationship you’re looking for, we encourage you to reach out and schedule your complimentary appointment with our team today. Or you can call the office directly @ 619-255-9554. We look forward to meeting you.

 

 

 

 

 

Are you on track for retirement?

 

Making sure you will be ready for retirement can be overwhelming. Funding your retirement accounts over the years is a critical part of your journey to the retirement of your dreams. An experienced Financial Advisor can help you navigate the complexities of investment management. Talk to a Financial Advisor>

Dream. Plan. Do.

Platt Wealth Management offers financial plans to answer your important financial questions. Where are you? Where do you want to be? How can you get there? Our four-step financial planning process is designed to be a road map to get you where you want to go while providing flexibility to adapt to changes along the route. We offer stand alone plans or full wealth management plans that include our investment management services. Give us a call today to set up a complimentary review. 619-255-9554.

Is the 60/40 Portfolio Allocation too Risky Now?

Is the 60/40 Portfolio Allocation too Risky Now?

For over seven decades, the 60/40 portfolio allocation has been the stalwart strategy of retirement planners with a high degree of success until recently. More recently, the tried and true portfolio mix has come under pressure, mounting uncharacteristic losses that may indicate it has lost its luster. What has changed for the 60/40 allocation, and has it become too risky?

 

Background on the 60/40 Allocation

 

The 60/40 portfolio has been around for more than 70 years, but it was popularized by Vanguard founder and investing great John Bogle. The research and data available at the time showed it to be an optimal allocation using stocks to drive returns and bonds to provide ballast during volatile markets. It was considered a balanced portfolio that could achieve growth while minimizing volatility and downside risk. A 60/40 portfolio regularly outperformed all stock or all bond portfolios.

 

It worked because, during most of that period, stocks and bonds had a low correlation with one another. When stocks were performing well, bonds were underperforming, and vice versa. But in 2021, that equilibrium suddenly changed. In the final quarter of 2021 through the current month, stocks and bonds became highly correlated, with both performing poorly. Instead of a portfolio where bonds are tempering the slumping returns of stocks, they have now become an additional drag on it. That’s not what investors sign up for with a 60/40 portfolio allocation.

 

It’s important to understand that the 60/40 rule was established long ago under different economic and market conditions. It performed exceptionally well over the last several decades because it was a time of historic gains in the bond market. That’s because interest rates had been in a sustained decline since the 1980s. Not anymore.

 

That was Then. This is Now

 

With the recent surge in inflation, the likes we haven’t seen in more than 40 years, the conditions for bonds have changed to the detriment of 60/40. To cool inflation, interest rates must rise. When interest rates rise, bond prices fall, which they have been doing for most of this year. Interest rates will continue to climb depending on how long and high inflation will run, making it difficult for bonds to fulfill their role as a defensive hedge.

 

If you believe the experts, investors in a 60/40 portfolio should downsize their return expectations over the next decade. Vanguard forecasts a relatively low median annual return of less than 4% through 2031. That’s well below the 7% annual return target of a 60/40 portfolio, primarily due to declining bond prices. 

 

Is it Time to Consider Total Return Alternatives?

 

If high inflation persists, investors now have to worry about the possibility of negative returns on their investments. For some investors, especially those with longer time horizons, it may be time to change the allocation rule with less emphasis on bonds and more emphasis on total returns. Several bond alternatives provide diversification while enhancing total return opportunities.

 

Utility stocks: Utility stocks act similarly to bonds because they offer high yields and relative safety. Some of the better utility stocks have a record of steady earnings and dividend growth. While utility stock prices can be sensitive to rising interest rates like bonds, they offer higher total return potential. 

 

High-quality dividend-paying stocks: High-quality companies with a long history of paying annual dividends and increasing them over time are a reliable source of income. They also tend to be less volatile than the rest of the stock market, making them a great diversifier. The dividend acts as a cushion against declining share prices. 

 

Real estate investment trusts (REITs): REITs are professionally managed real estate portfolios that hold up well in an inflationary environment. Many are required to pay out up to 90 percent of their earnings as dividends, making them a reliable income source. 

 

Though it may not be entirely over for the venerable 60/40 portfolio allocation, it may be a while before it recaptures its magic, which calls for some rule adjustments in the meantime. The adjustments don’t have to be radical—perhaps moving from a 60/40 stock and bond allocation to a 60/20/20 stock, bond, utility stock, high-quality dividend stock allocation, or some combination of all the above. 

 

However, any changes to a long-term investment strategy should always be made in consultation with an investment advisor with the expertise and tools to help you assess your circumstances and create an allocation consistent with your investment objectives, time horizon, and risk profile.

 

 

 

 

Are you on track for retirement?

 

Making sure you will be ready for retirement can be overwhelming. Funding your retirement accounts over the years is a critical part of your journey to the retirement of your dreams. An experienced Financial Advisor can help you navigate the complexities of investment management. Talk to a Financial Advisor>

Dream. Plan. Do.

Platt Wealth Management offers financial plans to answer your important financial questions. Where are you? Where do you want to be? How can you get there? Our four-step financial planning process is designed to be a road map to get you where you want to go while providing flexibility to adapt to changes along the route. We offer stand-alone plans or full wealth management plans that include our investment management services. Give us a call today to set up a complimentary review. 619-255-9554.

How Rising Interest Rates Could Impact Your Finances

How Rising Interest Rates Could Impact Your Finances

As expected, the Federal Reserve is holding firm to its policy of hiking short-term rates in an effort to cool inflationary pressures. Generally, these small, incremental rate increases don’t immediately impact consumers. The fed rate is the rate the Treasury charges banks for the use of money overnight. When the Fed raises its short-term rate, the banks will increase the rate they charge borrowers, so consumers may experience a slight uptick in borrowing costs.

 

The more significant impact on consumers comes from an increase in long-term rates (Treasury bonds), which have also seen an uptick this year, impacting mortgage rates, variable loan rates, credit card interest, savings account rates, and certificates of deposits.

 

Here are the ways higher interest rates can impact your finances and some steps to take to mitigate their effect.

 

 

Higher Mortgage Rates

 

After hovering near historic lows for several years, mortgage rates jumped past 5% for the first time in more than a decade. With Treasury bond yields expected to inch higher, mortgage rates won’t be far behind.

 

Rising interest rates won’t impact you if you currently hold a fixed-rate mortgage. However, if you have plans to refinance your loan, now would be the time to do it because there’s no predicting how high rates could climb.

 

If you hold an adjustable-rate mortgage, your interest costs will increase, so now may be your best opportunity to lock in a reasonable, fixed rate.

 

Higher Consumer Debt Costs

 

Credit cards and other types of consumer loans also carry variable rates, which can be expected to increase with rising interest rates. Keep in mind, variable rates on consumer loans tend to adjust once per year, while credit card rates can change at any time.

 

Your best bet is often to pay down high interest, variable debt as quickly as possible to avoid swift changes to your payment. Some lenders offer personal loans with fixed rates for loan consolidation as an option to explore. You could also look for 0% balance transfer opportunities, though that would only be a temporary solution.

 

Good News for Savings Deposits

 

Savings accounts are already seeing yield increases. However, unlike rates on consumer debt, which lenders are quick to raise when interest rates rise, rate hikes on savings accounts tend to be smaller and less significant. Still, accounts that were recently yielding as low as 0.025% have jumped to as high as 1.0%. While it’s still relatively low, it’s an improvement. If interest rates continue to increase, you can expect yields on your savings to follow suit.

 

The Impact of Rising Rates on Investments

 

Bonds

 

Rising interest rates affect different types of investments in different ways. For example, bonds are almost always negatively impacted by rising interest rates. That’s because rising rates force bond yields up, which decrease bond prices. However, if you hold a bond to maturity, you will receive the entire value when you redeem it. If you sell bonds in this environment, you will likely receive less than their par value. General rule of thumb: When interest rates decrease, bond prices should increase again.

 

Stocks

 

The impact of rising interest rates on stocks can vary depending on the industry or market sector. Stocks of companies with a lot of debt don’t perform as well because they will have higher borrowing costs. Because interest rates are increasing as a result of higher inflation, the bottom line of some companies suffers because of the higher cost of producing or selling goods and services. However, well-established, well-managed companies with big brands, dominant market positions, and low or no debt can perform well in a high-interest and inflationary environment.

 

Diversification is Key

 

As always, the key to successful investing in any interest rate environment is to ensure you are well-diversified with a mix of different asset classes. Because it’s difficult to know which asset class will outperform another at any given time, owning assets with low correlation to one another helps to minimize volatility. For example, historically, stocks and bonds have a low correlation, so it is good to have a mixture of both in your portfolio.

 

Time to Reassess Your Personal Finances

 

Although many people have never experienced it, rising interest rates are a normal part of the economic cycle. For more than three decades, borrowers have benefited from declining rates (not so much for savers). Now the cycle is turning to where savers will benefit over borrowers.

 

Keep in mind that economic cycles can last for years or even decades, so it is essential to maintain some flexibility so that you can make adjustments to your finances that can mitigate adverse effects while capitalizing on positive ones.

 

At Platt Wealth Management, we understand that the rising rate environment is new for many younger investors and may bring up some (not so fond) memories for our older ones. But, rising rates aren’t all bad and simply need to be accounted for in your financial planning.

 

As always, we are here to answer any questions or address any concerns you might have about this rising rate environment. Our goal is to support you through these ebbs and flows in the economic cycle so you stay honed in on what is most important to you on your financial journey. 

 

 

 

Are you on track for retirement?

 

Making sure you will be ready for retirement can be overwhelming. Funding your retirement accounts over the years is a critical part of your journey to the retirement of your dreams. An experienced Financial Advisor can help you navigate the complexities of investment management. Talk to a Financial Advisor>

Dream. Plan. Do.

Platt Wealth Management offers financial plans to answer your important financial questions. Where are you? Where do you want to be? How can you get there? Our four-step financial planning process is designed to be a road map to get you where you want to go while providing flexibility to adapt to changes along the route. We offer stand alone plans or full wealth management plans that include our investment management services. Give us a call today to set up a complimentary review. 619-255-9554.

Inflation: Trouble for the Economy?

Inflation: Trouble for the Economy?

Of all the fears investors have faced over the past 30 years, high inflation wasn’t among them. In 2021, that’s changed.

Today, the biggest questions for investors revolve around inflation: How high will it go and how long will it last? Is it “transitory” as the Federal Reserve claims? Or is elevated inflation the new normal amid labor shortages, supply chain bottlenecks and a severe energy crunch?

The uncertain path of the pandemic makes near-term conditions difficult to predict but, over the long term, the picture comes into better focus.

Economic growth should slow due to high debt levels and fading stimulus, resulting in a return to GDP gains of 1.5% to 2.5% a year. Consequently, interest rates should stay relatively low as well.

 

Two types of inflation

chart showing sticky inflation

Sources: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Refinitive Datastream. Sticky and flexible prices reflect the Atlanta Federal Reserve sticky and flexible consumer price indexes (CPI). If price changes for a particular CPI component occur less than every 4.3 months, that component is a “sticky-price” good. Goods that change prices more frequently are “flexible-price” goods. As of August 2021.

 

Sticky or Flexible Inflation?

 

A source of uncertainty today is that there are two different types of inflation: sticky and flexible. Sticky inflation, currently around 2.6% annualized, tends to exhibit longer staying power. Sticky categories include rent, owners’ equivalent rent, insurance costs and medical expenses.

Flexible inflation has climbed this year to nearly 14% — the highest since the 1970s. However, this level of inflation likely won’t last. The flexible category contains products such as food, energy and cars, where prices can move a lot higher or lower over time. For instance, that’s already happened with lumber, copper and soybeans. Prices for those products skyrocketed this spring and have since come down.

 

Price flare-ups in key commodities are starting to level out

chart showing inflation cpi versus commodity

Sources: Capital Group, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Refinitiv Datastream. Inflation is measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as of 8/31/21. Commodity prices are as of 9/30/21.

 

Watch out for sticky inflation

 

As anyone who has tried to buy a used car knows, flexible inflation categories have spiked due to pandemic-related shortages, a lack of available labor and supply chain disruptions. A quick resolution to these challenges is unlikely, but more normal conditions should return by mid to late 2022.

What that means is, the upside risk is in the sticky components. Many of the flexible price categories moved higher for transitory reasons, but inflation in those areas may come back down to zero or even go negative. The sticky components will drive inflation in 2022 so that’s what investors need to keep an eye on.

The Fed will not be in a hurry to raise rates and potentially derail the COVID recovery if inflation remains in check. In short, flexible inflation is transitory, but sticky inflation could be troublesome.

Overall inflation as measured by the U.S. Consumer Price Index should gradually decline in the months ahead, eventually falling into a range of 2.50% to 2.75% by the end of 2022.

If that prediction holds, there’s a good chance the Federal Reserve will not raise interest rates in 2022. The Fed might officially announce in November that it will begin reducing its bond-buying stimulus program. That process will take several quarters. And the Fed’s first rate hike will come in 2023, which is later than market expectations.

What if this benign inflation outlook is wrong and consumer prices move sharply higher?

That is by no means our base case, but it is a big enough risk that it should factor into portfolio construction.

 

What inflation means for investments

 

For stocks, there are a few rules of thumb to consider. Historically, higher prices have boosted commodities, as well as sectors that benefit from higher interest rates (such as banks) and companies with pricing power in must-have categories like semiconductors and popular consumer brands.

Before making portfolio adjustments, it’s important to remember that sustained periods of elevated inflation are rare in U.S. history. People of a certain age will remember the ultra-high inflation of the 1970s and early 1980s. But in hindsight, it’s clear that was a unique period. In fact, deflationary pressures have often been more difficult to tame, as students of the Great Depression will attest.

Over the past 100 years, U.S. inflation has stayed below 5% the vast majority of the time. More recently, in the aftermath of the 2007–2009 global financial crisis, inflation has struggled to hit 2% on a sustained basis. And that’s despite unprecedented stimulus measures engineered by the Fed in an attempt to reach the central bank’s 2% goal.

Another important point: It’s mostly at the extremes — when inflation is 6% or above — that financial assets tend to struggle. Stocks have also come under pressure when inflation goes negative, as one would expect.

For investors, some inflation can be a good thing. Even during times of higher inflation, stocks and bonds have generally provided solid returns as shown in the chart below.

 

Stocks and bonds have done well in various inflation environments

charts showing different inflation rates of returns

Sources: Capital Group, Bloomberg Index Services Ltd., Morningstar, Standard & Poor’s. All returns are inflation-adjusted real returns. U.S. equity returns represented by the Standard & Poor’s 500 Composite Index. U.S. fixed income represented by Ibbotson Associates SBBI U.S. Intermediate-Term Government Bond Index from 1/1/1970–12/12/1975 and Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index from 1/1/1976–12/31/2020. Inflation rates are defined by the rolling 12-month returns of the Ibbotson Associates SBBI U.S. Inflation Index.

 

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