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Preparing for Inflation: 3 Smart Money Moves to Make Now
The U.S. inflation report is scheduled to be released this week, and depending on what it shows, the new inflation data could have a big impact on the economy. After all, inflation plays a significant role in the decisions that the Federal Reserve makes regarding interest rates — which are currently paused at a 23-year high.
When prices grow too quickly, the Fed will typically increase its federal funds rate to discourage spending — a move that typically drives up the cost of borrowing and returns on savings. When prices aren’t growing as fast as they should, the Fed generally reduces interest rates, which drives down the cost of borrowing and returns on savings.
In turn, the upcoming inflation report could set the stage for changes to monetary policy that could have an impact on your financial well-being. But what should savers do, in particular, to prepare for the upcoming inflation report?
Compare today’s leading high-yield savings accounts now.
3 moves savers should make ahead of the upcoming inflation report
Here’s what savers should do to prepare for the upcoming inflation report:
Open a CD and lock in today’s rate
The Fed paused rate hikes late last year and rates remain paused today. However, most experts expect the Fed to start dropping rates mid-year.
Should the new inflation data show a downward trend, financial institutions could start reducing their certificate of deposit (CD) rates in anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s next moves. So, locking in today’s high CD returns may prove advantageous, as you’ll continue to earn that same rate for the full CD term, no matter what happens with the wider rate environment during that time.
But there is one caveat to consider. When you open a CD, you typically agree to leave your money in the account until it matures. In turn, you may have to pay an early withdrawal penalty to access your funds before the CD term is over. So, it’s important to ensure that you can leave your money untouched in the account to avoid those penalties.
Still, an early withdrawal penalty can be an advantage in some cases. For example, agreeing to keep your money in the account for its entire term can help you achieve your savings goals.
Lock in today’s high returns with a CD now.
Open a high-yield savings account
Keeping all of your savings in a CD may not be the best approach. After all, you should maintain an emergency fund that you can tap into if you fall on hard times, and CD access is limited. High-yield savings accounts, on the other hand, offer access to your funds and high interest rates on your money.
Traditional savings accounts currently have average returns of 0.46%, but high-yield savings accounts currently offer rates that are much higher on average. That’s important because your money needs to keep pace with or surpass the inflation rate (currently 3.1%) or it loses buying power.
As such, it makes sense to tap into today’s high savings rates to earn a meaningful return as long as you can. Just note, though, that the rates on high-yield savings accounts are variable, meaning that they can change over time due to shifts in the wider rate environment. But even if rates trend down in the future, by opening a high-yield savings account now, you will start earning a meaningful return on your high-yield savings account right away.
Add gold to your portfolio
The inflation rate has been cooling and many experts expect it to continue to drop over time. But, if those expectations are incorrect and inflation comes in hotter than expected on the upcoming report, gold could be a valuable asset to own.
And that’s due, in large part, to gold’s unique inflation-hedging qualities and other unique benefits. For example, the value of the dollar can decline during periods of high inflation, so investors tend to turn to assets that can act as a safe haven for their money — which gold can do. As such, when inflation rates are high, the demand for gold typically ticks up — sending its price up as well.
Open a high-yield savings account now to maximize returns on your savings.
The bottom line
With new inflation data expected to be released this week, there are a few moves you can make beforehand to help maximize and protect your savings. For starters, it may benefit you to open a CD and lock in a high rate or maximize your returns with a high-yield savings account for your emergency savings. And, it may be wise to invest some of your savings in gold to take advantage of any potential gains — just in case inflation comes in higher than expected again.
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Is now the right time to invest in gold as prices have cooled?
The price of gold has climbed to record highs recently and has remained strong through much of April. And, that growth continued until the precious metal traded at around $2,390 per ounce on April 19, 2024. But since, growth in the price of the precious metal has cooled, with gold’s price now hovering around $2,300 per ounce.
This lull in gold’s price may represent an investment opportunity.
In general, investing is centered around buying assets when prices are low and selling them when prices are high – generating a profit on the difference between the two. So, considering the declines in gold’s price over the past few days, now may be the time to make your investment. But is buying gold during this lull in prices really a good idea?
Compare your gold investment options among leading brokers now.
Gold prices have cooled. Should you buy in now?
With gold’s price down from recent highs, you may be wondering if now is the right time to buy in. There are several reasons the dip in gold’s price may represent an opportunity to buy. Here are some of the biggest:
Prices may rise again
If looking at a gold price chart shows anything for certain, it shows that changes in the overall growth of the medal come in fits and spurts. Periods of price growth are typically followed by periods of declines and vice versa.
But with inflation rising in recent months – and with gold’s reputation as a safe-haven asset that can hedge against inflation – it only makes sense that the price of the precious metal will eventually start to head up again in the future. While attempting to time that directional change may be tricky, buying the precious metal while the price is down gives you the opportunity to take advantage of any upward movement that may be ahead.
Add gold to your portfolio now before prices have a chance to rise.
You may be able to make a quick profit
Gold isn’t known as an asset in which you can earn a quick return, but in today’s market, that may be the case. Don’t forget that in January, gold was trading at just $2,000 per ounce. And, by mid-April, the commodity’s price had climbed to around $2,400 per ounce. That’s about 20% growth in a matter of months, much of which happened since March 1 – an impressive climb for any investment asset.
Perhaps more importantly, gold’s price growth through the beginning of 2024 shows that the commodity doesn’t have to be a buy and hold style investment that you keep in a safety deposit box or precious metal depository for years to come. There’s also the possibility that the commodity’s price could climb further ahead, making it a compelling way to potentially generate a quick profit.
There are other benefits of investing in gold
There are other benefits of investing in gold that have little to do with the price growth seen thus far in 2024 – or the lull in prices seen over the past couple of days. Those benefits include:
- Inflation protection: Gold has long been considered an inflation hedge, and for good reason. When inflation drives the prices of consumer goods and services up – and the value of the dollar down – gold’s price tends to rise. So, it could be used to maintain the value of your portfolio during inflationary economic conditions. That’s important in today’s economic environment as stubborn inflation continues to weigh on the value of the dollar.
- Portfolio diversification: Gold’s price doesn’t always move in the same pattern that bonds or stocks do. So, mixing a reasonable amount of gold into your portfolio (up to 10% of your portfolio assets) as a diversifier could protect you from losses should one or more of your traditional portfolio assets fall in value. “If you have less than 5% – 10% of your net worth in commodities & FX (forex), you should absolutely consider adding exposure to gold and other precious metals,” says Vijay Marolia, money manager and managing partner at the wealth management firm, Regal Point Capital.
The bottom line
Gold’s price has fallen from recent highs – which may represent an opportunity to tap into growth ahead. However, gold isn’t simply a “buy while it’s low and sell while it’s a high” kind of investment opportunity. The commodity can also protect your portfolio from the stubborn inflation we’ve seen thus far in 2024 while acting as a diversification tool that could increase your risk-adjusted portfolio returns. So, consider adding gold to your portfolio today while it has the potential to grow in value.
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