We believe investors today are facing a new, more turbulent market environment where an emphasis on quality and income can help weather the storm.
Since the global financial crisis of 2007-08, US equity markets have been experiencing more rapid declines and recoveries than before the crisis. Prior to 2008, the S&P 500 Index would take on average 37 days to correct between 5-10% -- that figure today is 29 days. Recoveries from these declines, too, have shrunk on average to 30 days, from the prior 48 days.
These smaller time frames have been especially challenging for would-be market timers, for whom “bottom ticking” – always a challenging task – is now even more difficult. Politics in Europe and the US, China and energy are just a few of the catalysts we expect to contribute to these trends going forward.