Ryan Stancil,
Editor
Feb. 28, 2022
Uncertainty has always been the theme of 2022 when it comes to investing.
It started with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and now, as we approach the spring, that uncertainty is taking shape in the context of war.
As Russia carries out its campaign against Ukraine and NATO countries figure out how to respond, markets are reeling from the uncertainty this is causing.
We don’t know how the war will escalate. We don’t know if Russia will antagonize NATO countries with cyberattacks. We don’t know what China will do or how long all of this will drag out.
We simply don’t know.
And it’s because of that, that investing in this environment can be tricky.
Oil soared to a price it hasn’t seen in over a decade. Cryptocurrency sank then soared, broad indexes pinballed back and forth, and defense stocks predictably saw a bump.
And we’re still in the earliest days of this thing.
Russia’s belligerence has been decades in the making. The fact that it led to armed conflict shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention.
It also shouldn’t come as a surprise that, during this market turmoil, some are trying to figure out how to time the chaos. Investing advice sometimes involves “buying the dip” and in times like this, it’s not uncommon for some to panic sell before the losses get any worse.
But neither of these practices are ideal during times of extreme uncertainty.
There are few things more unpredictable than war, especially in the earliest days. On top of that, there are still other factors to consider here, including increasing inflation, how this will affect supply chains, and whether or not those Fed rate hikes are still coming.
Trying to time the market while all of this happens is a fool’s errand. Yes, it’s possible, just like winning the lottery and being struck by lightning are possible. No, it’s not likely that the majority of investors will get it right and avoid a lot of the pain that the market is going to experience in the short term.
In that context, the sensible thing to do is wait it out and look for other ways to play the market.
Like all history-making events, the effects of this war will ripple out. Some of those effects have already happened, some will happen as this war continues, and some will happen well after it’s all over.
Russia has made it clear that it’s going to do what it wants — the rest of the world be damned.
As far as other nations are concerned, that means potentially relying on Russia much, much less as a trading partner than we do now.
Doing so will protect supply chains and lessen our dependence on hostile regimes like Russia for essential commodities like rare earth elements.
It’s a plan that’s been in the making for a while now, but with Russian boots on Ukrainian soil and the economic chaos that brings with it, it’s a plan that could be fast-tracked now.
And there is a way to use that as a hedge instead of trying to do the impossible and time the crisis.
These are trades you can make now to profit while there is still time.
These critical metals will face shortages and bottlenecks as policy shifts and governments look for other sources. It's one sector of the market that’s sure to benefit from the chaos we’re going to see over the next few months.
Learn the details here and see what moves to make in the commodities market. It could end up being one of the biggest investment stories of the year.
Keep your eyes open.
Ryan Stancil
Editor, Daily Profit Cycle