Jeff Sommer

There is chaos in the Middle East, and global markets have been oscillating wildly. But rather than panic about what the Iran war may be doing to your investments, try to forget about all of it.

So many people expect a recession soon that it will almost be surprising if a downturn doesn’t happen.

It is impossible even to talk about the long bull market that ended in January 2022 without saying high-growth tech stocks propelled the market higher.

Over short periods, financial markets can be treacherous. So I usually recommend spreading your risks with low-cost investments in the entire stock and bond markets, and hanging in for decades.

The stock market adores high-growth tech companies – until it suddenly doesn’t. And when the mood changes, as it has this year, the brutality of the stock market goes on spectacular display.

It’s come to this: Even fairly bullish outlooks about the stock and bond markets are beginning to assume that there will be some kind of a recession.

IT is a horrible time for stocks, which have spent the year in a bear market. But guess what? When you look at the historical record, bonds are worse.

The bear market endures, yet the S&P 500 index rose more than 17 per cent from mid-June to mid-August. Don’t even try to guess what will happen next.

Rates are rising, inflation is nasty and a painful recession is certainly possible, but there are steps you can take now

Amid rising inflation and the threat of recession, corporate earnings are coming under pressure