It seems like every time we hit new highs in the stock market, the pundits tell us that somehow it’s different this time.  In 1999 we didn’t need to worry that many of the high-flying tech stocks had no balance sheet or even a viable business plan behind the company.  We all remember how that turned out.

In 2007 Wall Street couldn’t securitize questionable mortgages fast enough.  Mortgages and real estate were very secure investments.  Again we recall how that turned out.

This year the markets are again reaching record highs .  Both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 stand at record levels as I write this.  No worries say the experts.  Valuations are reasonable and this isn’t a bubble (translation, its different this time).  We don’t know how this will turn out, but hopefully those of you with any degree of common sense will recall and apply the lessons of the past 15 years.

Who’s paying the pundits?  

Day after day there are guests on CNBC and similar programs touting stocks.  The chief investment strategist of a major financial services firm recently dismissed any talk of a bubble in stocks at least in the near term.

These folks may be right; perhaps this almost five year old bull market still has a way to go.  But somewhere in the back of my mind I also have to wonder if they aren’t touting stocks because it is in the financial interests of their firms (and perhaps their annual bonuses) for investors to keep investing in stocks.

So what should investors do in this stock market environment? 

What should you do now?  

If you are a regular reader of this blog nothing that I’m going to say below will surprise you nor will it differ from what I’ve been saying for the 4+ years that I’ve been writing this blog or the almost 15 years that I’ve been providing advice to my clients.  For starters:

• Step back and review your financial plan.  Where do the recent gains in the stock market put you relative to your goals?
• Does your portfolio need to be rebalanced back to your intended allocations to stocks, bonds, cash, etc.?
• Review your asset allocation.  Is it still appropriate for your situation?
• Review the holdings in your portfolio.  In the case of mutual funds and ETFs. how do they compare to their peer groups (for example if you hold a large cap growth fund compare it against other large cap growth funds)?  Would you buy these holdings today for your portfolio?
• Ignore the market hype from the media and from financial services ads .

If you don’t have a financial plan in place this is a great time to get this done. 

Remember the lessons learned from the market downturns of 2000-2002 and 2008-2009.  While your portfolio will likely sustain losses in a major market downturn or even a more moderate and normal sell-off, diversification helps.  Diversified portfolios fared far better than those that were overweight in equities during the decade 2000-2009.  Portfolios with a diversified equity allocation generally fared better than those heavily weighted to just large cap domestic stocks that use the S&P 500 as a benchmark.

Of note, bonds have been a great diversifier in the past, especially over the past 30 years with the steady decline in interest rates.  With rates at historically low levels at the very least investors may need to rethink how they use bonds and what types of fixed income products to use in their portfolios.

My point is not to imply that a market correction is imminent or that investors should abandon stocks.  Rather the higher the markets go, the greater the risk of a stock market correction.  Make sure your portfolio is properly allocated in line with your financial goals and your tolerance for risk.  Many of the investors who suffered devastating losses in 2008-2009 were over allocated to stocks.  Tragically many couldn’t stomach the losses and sold out near the bottom, booking losses and in many cases missing out on the current market gains.

Revisit your financial plan and rebalance your portfolio as needed.  Most of all use your good common sense.  It’s not different this time regardless of what the experts may say.

Please contact me  at 847-506-9827 for a complimentary 30-minute consultation to discuss your investing and financial planning questions.  Check out our Financial Planning and Investment Advice for Individuals  page to learn more about our services.  

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