Defensive stocks for worried investors to buy if upcoming threats rattle the market

Published Tue, Sep 19 20231:40 PM EDTUpdated Wed, Sep 20 20237:37 AM EDT

With the market on edge ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates, here's a way to play it safe. Central bank leaders have a tough job ahead as they attempt to stabilize prices while avoiding a painful recession. In anticipation of the Fed's decision, stocks are losing their momentum this week while oil prices surge and consumer sentiment sours. Ongoing labor-management conflicts could also start having a ripple effect on the economy if they persist. If this is worrying, you might want to invest in some defensive stocks. Using the CNBC Pro stock screener , we looked for names in the S & P 500 that are steadier than the market, with a beta of less than one. A stock's beta measures its price volatility in relation to the overall market. These stocks have a dividend yield of greater than 3% and are still in the green this year, making them a strong hedge against potential near-term volatility. Oil and natural gas producer Coterra Energy has the highest dividend yield of the list and has popped 12% so far this year. The company delivered mixed quarterly results in early August, posting strong production numbers and mostly favorable prices while second-quarter sales missed expectations and profit outpaced estimates. Digital Realty Trust is another potential safety bet for investors. Shares of the real estate investment trust have popped nearly 27% this year, fueled by a boom in artificial intelligence that could increase the pricing power of the company's data centers. The company also offers a dividend yield of 3.83%. Shares are trading lower this month, however, and are down 0.7% Tuesday. REITs Essex Property Trust and AvalonBay Communities also made the list, up 4.6% and 11.8% for the year, respectively. Economic data pointing toward a potential soft landing for the U.S. economy could soon lift the outlook for residential mortgage REITs, which tend to rise along with interest rates. Other strong defensive plays include International Business Machines and toymaker Hasbro .