What stock sectors perform best in a recession?
Historically, the industries considered to be the most defensive and better placed to fare reasonably during recessions are utilities, health care, and consumer staples.
The best recession stocks include consumer staples, utilities and healthcare companies, all of which produce goods and services that consumers can't do without, no matter how bad the economy gets.
Equity Sectors
From a sector perspective, healthcare and consumer staples stocks have been the most resilient performers during periods of economic weakness.
Business category | Great Recession (2008 - 2010) Change in number of businesses | Late Pandemic (2021 - 2022) Change in average weekly wages |
---|---|---|
Interior design services | −11.08% | 8.34% |
Staffing agencies | −3.02% | 13.88% |
Marketing consulting services | 7.68% | 5.01% |
Food trucks | 13.38% | 11.62% |
- Defensive sector stocks and funds.
- Dividend-paying large-cap stocks.
- Government bonds and top-rated corporate bonds.
- Treasury bonds.
- Gold.
- Real estate.
- Cash and cash equivalents.
Key Takeaways. During a recession, most investors should avoid investing in companies that are highly leveraged, cyclical, or speculative, as these companies pose the biggest risk of doing poorly during tough economic times.
- Retail. According to economists, the retail industry is among the industries most affected by recession in 2023. ...
- Restaurant. ...
- Travel & Tourism. ...
- Real Estate. ...
- Manufacturing.
- Healthcare Providers.
- Financial Advisors and Economists.
- Auto Repair and Maintenance.
- Home Maintenance Stores.
- Home Staging Experts.
- Rental Agents and Property Management Companies.
- Grocery Stores.
- Bargain and Discount Stores.
Because a decline in disposable income affects prices, the prices of essentials, such as food and utilities, often stay the same. In contrast, things considered to be wants instead of needs, such as travel and entertainment, may be more likely to get cheaper.
Lower prices — A recession often hits after a long period of sky-high consumer prices. At the onset of a recession, these prices suddenly drop, balancing out previous long inflationary costs. As a result, people on fixed incomes can benefit from new, lower prices, including real estate sales.
What is profitable during a recession?
If any business is recession proof, it's the good, old-fashioned grocery store. These stores sell products that people always need, regardless of economic conditions. According to Grand View Research, “The global food & grocery retail market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3% from 2022 to 2030.”
Luckily, there are some stocks that are more resilient to the negative effects of a downturn. Three stocks that outperformed the S&P 500 during the 2007-09 Great Recession were Gilead Sciences (GILD 0.80%), McDonald's (MCD 0.17%), and Walmart (WMT 0.13%).
Although there's no guarantee that any job is safe during periods of economic uncertainty, there are certain industries that may be less susceptible to conditions like layoffs and reductions in force. These include the medical industry, the legal industry, and essential services, like grocery stores.
- Cut living expenses. ...
- Build an emergency fund. ...
- Develop new skills. ...
- Speak with a financial adviser. ...
- Create passive income sources. ...
- Start a business. ...
- Consumer staples. ...
- Bonds.
Cash: Offers liquidity, allowing you to cover expenses or seize investment opportunities. Property: Can provide rental income and potential long-term appreciation, but selling might be difficult during an economic downturn.
Dividend stocks are shares of a company that splits a portion of its profit with all its shareholders based on the number of shares each investor owns. Investing in companies with a strong track record of paying — and increasing — dividends can lead to stable cash flow even during recessions.
It becomes a bit more important to focus on top-quality companies in turbulent times, but, for the most part, you should approach investing in a recession in the same manner you would approach investing any other time. Buy high-quality companies or funds and hold on to them for as long as they stay that way.
CDs are a relatively risk-free way to grow your funds, but they also have some downsides. Mapping out plans to build your savings can be challenging, especially when interest rates fluctuate. A certificate of deposit (CD) is a good alternative if you're risk-averse when it comes to investing.
Younger workers (aged 16 to 24) are often the first cohort to lose their jobs during recessions and stay unemployed longer. This is because they have less on-the-job experience and often work in jobs with high turnover.
In 2024, that means communication services, information technology and financials, as the best performers, are on their way to good things for the remaining 10 months. Meanwhile, the tail-end trio that will keep on with their losing ways are materials, utilities and real estate.
What industry is least affected by recession?
- 5 Recession Resistant Industries.
- Consumer Staples.
- Grocery Stores/Discount Retail.
- Alcoholic Beverages.
- Cosmetics.
- Death and Funeral Services.
- The Bottom Line.
You'll need to be willing to shift your mindset from surviving to thriving and rethink a few of your business strategies, but the results don't lie. More millionaires are made in recessions. The question is: Are you brave enough? Every business has room for improvement behind the scenes.
Millionaires are made during recessions, so this is your chance to start investing. Financial literacy and wealth building can be a sore topic for our comunidad. Many of us did not grow up learning how to build generational wealth and often carry money wounds.
When things are looking bleak, consider holding on to your investments. Selling during market lows can be one of the worst things you can do for your portfolio — it locks in losses.
The phrase means that having liquid funds available can be vital because of the flexibility it provides during a crisis.