“How can I safeguard myself from a sharp correction?” For most investors, this top-of-mind question is bothering them. Yet, nobody wants to sell. Everyone definitely wants to participate in any potential upside.
This is where a sound investment strategy can certainly help. Risk mitigation can be done in every portfolio. Portfolio strategy can also significantly reduce risks by choosing safer options like multi-asset strategies. A multi-asset strategy ensures you allocate more monies to safer assets. This strategy protects you from a sharp equity downside and also gives you ample liquidity after a fall to buy more equities. Some assets will always be safer to own in phases of stock market euphoria. Ignoring them will only make investors be over-allocated to equity. Reducing equity ownership by diversifying into safer asset classes is the way to go. Investors must reduce ownership to the frothy parts of the equity market and channel the sale proceeds into safer asset classes.
Specific selling actions cannot wait, especially in very overvalued stocks. Selling them and moving to cash will cushion investor portfolios from a sharp future cut in valuations. Moving monies from overvalued stocks to stocks which are out of favour and attractively valued is also a definite option. This move will also protect portfolios from a fall. The earnings season was broadly a disappointment. But, the market seems to have moved on from that feeling. Investors must closely evaluate stocks which disappointed and validate their investment thesis again. If they do not find adequate investment merits on current performance, it makes immense sense to shift monies into a safe haven investment. Those owning only expensive parts of the market like smallcaps must not waste this rally and are better off lightening their positions and raising liquidity. The liquidity will come in handy when the markets cool off and valuations return to their zone of comfort.
This is a market to be vigilant and cautious. Every decision must be supported by hard math and sound logic. When both the math and logic turn against a stock, one must reconsider ownership and save himself from a sharp correction.