The novel Coronavirus COVID-19 has not only caused widespread illness and took out many lives, but also affected the investors hard. First, the capacity to save and invest was hit hard after many people faced pay cuts and job losses due to prolonged lockdowns to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, despite relatively quicker recoveries, the free falls in the stock markets during the initial phases of COVID waves caused panic among the investors, driving many novice investors out at a loss.
Nikhil Aggarwal, Founder & CEO, Grip describes how to invest if COVID comes back to India:
Be prepared
While COVID is largely under control in most parts of the world, recent reports of rising cases across Asia and other parts of the world have raised red flags for many investors. We cannot predict the future but from an investor’s point of view, it is wiser to be prepared for all eventualities.
Also Read: Worried about impact of global recession on your portfolio? Follow these investment tips
Reduce volatility
Broadly your goal should be to reduce reliance on volatile assets and diversify across assets that offer fixed income, stability, regular returns and predictability.
Select fixed-income products
Rated, listed bonds and other secured fixed-income products offer more stability, predictability and the option of liquidity should the need arise. When exploring bonds, look for bonds issued by established companies with sturdy fundamentals or a well-diversified pool. Secondly do consider the yield to maturity period, depending on the time you would prefer to lock in the money. In case of another significant Covid wave, central banks might also consider reducing interest rates to help boost the economy which could be a positive for bond investors.
Diversify
The best way to protect wealth during a volatile market is by diversifying your holdings, good portfolios should consist of investments that yield stable returns even under trying circumstances.
Look for alternatives
Today there are multiple investment options available that are not market-linked or SIPs. There are several alternative investment options that can help assets across the risk-reward spectrum and shield you from stock market volatility. Corporate bonds, Lease financing, Inventory financing, and Commercial Property are great options that are providing fixed returns and diversification to investors.
Also Read: Coronavirus: Are we ready for another remote season?
Continue your SIPs
My suggestion would be to continue your SIPs and also spread your capital across value-based stocks, corporate bonds and a few other alternative products based on your financial goals. As companies with strong ethos are well-equipped in their planning to tackle uncertainties of this sort.