From Covid, to weather events, to inflation, to the markets, the past year was painful on many fronts even for those who thought they were protecting themselves. It seems that no matter what precautions were taken to remain "safe" these efforts were often ineffectual at best. Woe was the quadruple vaxxed person who came down with Covid anyways as well to the investor who, to combat inflation, loaded up on inflation-protected government bonds (which were down double-digits), the best laid plans last year often were not enough. This was a year many people want to forget.
Indeed, the past year was unlike anything many investors had ever experienced. Inflation hit a forty-year year high, and bonds returned an all-time low, providing no support to offset the18% decline in stocks (S&P P500 Index). As a result, the traditional 60 /40 mix (S&P P500 /Barclays Aggregate Index) turned in its worst performance since 2008 at -15%, a result that most moderate risk investors find, well, not so moderate.
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