Economic data have been disappointing in the U.S. and abroad. U.S. manufacturing is slowing, while construction spending, pending- home sales and auto sales have all been disappointing. Many investors are seeking safety as the U.S. dollar gains strength. U.S. job reports have also been strong, but much of this momentum has been offset by an influx of global conflicts. Young adults who are juggling working 14 hour days while still keeping an eye on your portfolio—tread lightly!
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Jack Brewer of the New York Giants in December, 2004
Much of the recent weakness comes as a result of the war on ISIS, the tragic Ebola outbreak and the recent protest in Hong Kong. As global issues continue to heat up, investors and money managers are seeking creative ways to find attractive yields. I expect for volatility to continue through October and November as many portfolios continue to shift into "safe-haven" asset classes. If you're under 45, the common advice is to ride the wave and let the markets heal itself. But again, tread lightly!
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At some point, this will be a great opportunity for investors to purchase equities at a steep discount. Sectors like the airlines that have recently experience 3- to 4-percent declines in quality names like Delta and American; have fallen victim to the Ebola scare in the U.S. and abroad. If things continue, investors should consider adding to their positions in the airline sector, especially if oil prices continue to decline. Investors should also look for unique buying opportunities in the small-cap space which has entered in and out of correction territory (10- to 20-percent decline) as the Russell 2000 has been down more than 10 percent from its July peak. As we continue our bullish long term view of the markets, our young investors are considering increasing their allocations to this hard-hit index as they find opportunities.
As Ebola scares and conflicts increase, I have continued to identify high-yielding debt offerings that are not correlated to the markets. We have experienced the most success with debt names like GWG Holdings. GWG offers our portfolios up to 9-percent yields without taking on the risk of market volatility. We have received high single-digit yields from our GWG secured debentures over the last two years and we are adding to that position as attractive debt yields become harder to find in this complex market. Our municipal-bond investments have also gained strength during the recent pullback and we have confidence that our municipal-bond portfolios managed by BlackRock and JP Morgan Asset Management will remain a pillar for our holdings. BR and JPM have helped our investors avoid past crises in the muni-bond market by choosing only the highest quality bonds from across the country. As the overall markets have been bumpy, our municipal-bond portfolios have served as great hedge for our accounts. Young investors you may want to consider booking some gains from the last few years, while scaling back a bit in equities by replacing them with select debt options producing equity like returns.
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Even though investors cannot control future volatility, they can identify unique opportunities which maintain stability during uncertain times — even if you're a young investor looking to build a portfolio with a long-term view.
Commentary by Jack Brewer, a former NFL safety who played for the Vikings, Giants, Eagles and Cardinals. He is also the founder and CEO of the Brewer Group. He has a master's degree in sports management from the University of Minnesota. He serves as an ambassador for peace and sport for the United States Federation of Middle East Peace at the United Nations. Follow him on Twitter@JackBrewerBSI.
Jack Brewer and the Brewer Group own shares of small-cap stocks, municipal bonds and GWG Holdings. They also buy small-cap stocks, municipal bonds, Delta Airlines and American Airlines stock and GWG Holdings for their clients.
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