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Special Report

Morningstar.com's Risk Management Week

Nov. 17-21: Reframe your risk perception, manage risk in your retirement portfolio, and uncover the risks worth taking today.

Jason Stipp

It was about four years ago that we last ran a special report on risk, in June 2010. The market bottom had occurred only 15 months prior, and worries about a double-dip and the shape of the recovery were still being hotly debated. (Remember the V-, W, and U-shaped recovery talk?)

Risk was very much top of mind for investors, many of whom were still sending their money to bond funds or sitting on the sidelines entirely. In many ways, running a report on risk was a no-brainer.

But what about today? True, the market has hit a few bumps since 2010 (most notably in 2011 and also more recently), but stocks have generally maintained their upward trajectory, retirement accounts have recovered, and the economy has managed steady (if unspectacular) growth.

We might argue that's all the more reason to put risk back on the table. First of all, even during bull runs, risk is never absent from the market--and should always be a consideration for investors. Such periods of relative calm (or ever-higher returns) can breed complacency--a form of risk in and of itself. Second, as valuations look a bit full, the environment is ripe for some speed bumps. If things don't go just according to expectations, moods can sour in a hurry. And third, it will certainly behoove investors to plan for such uncertainties before--not after--they might happen.

In that spirit, we took readers through the risk rundown this week, starting with the basics, then covering portfolio risk management (for strategic and opportunistic investors), the market's risks today, and some of our favorite investments for risk-takers as well as risk-averse investors. You can access all of our reports below. 

Risk Management Week: Most Popular

Monday, Nov. 17 | The many faces of risk
Idiosyncratic, systematic, interest rate, credit, volatility, shortfall: there is no shortage of risk (or risk measures), and no real way to avoid it. On Monday, we'll help you get your arms around the risks you face so you can make smarter choices about risk-taking.

Tuesday, Nov. 18 | Managing risk in retirement portfolios
How much risk should you take in your retirement portfolio? On Tuesday, we'll help you size up your time horizon and risk capacity as well as risks related to inflation, longevity, and your own earning power in the workforce--and then match that profile with the right kind of investments.

Wednesday, Nov. 19 | Risk management for opportunistic investors
Tune in today if you're looking for strategies to beat the stock market (without losing your shirt), avoid dividend-payers that are running out of steam, and better position your bond investments.

Thursday, Nov. 20 | Today's market risks
We'll check in with Morningstar strategists and some of our favorite fund managers to understand what risks--both hidden and apparent--should be on investors' radars today. We'll also look under the hood of our valuation data to see which areas of the market are looking overheated.

Friday, Nov. 21 | Picks for risk-takers and the risk-averse
On Friday we tap into Morningstar's stock and fund research to uncover top picks for more aggressive and more conservative investors.

 

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