Through all the challenges, newfound opportunities, and highs and lows we’ve experienced during the last couple of years, it’s no surprise why we might be striving for more balance. Whether it’s about the markets and global economy or what’s happening in our local communities, the news we’re hearing on a daily basis has the potential to disrupt the balance of our lives. But with resilience, perspective, and the support of close connections, we can navigate through it all and regain our sense of equilibrium—even after another dizzying year, as 2022 proved to be.
After two years of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been searching for some kind of return to normalcy while still experiencing the aftereffects of the pandemic. Some of those aftereffects included imbalances created by the fiscal, monetary, and public health policies put in place to address the pandemic—and the process of addressing those imbalances has been disorienting at times. If 2022 was about recognizing imbalances built into the economy and starting to address them, we believe 2023 will be about setting ourselves up for what comes next as the economy and markets find their way back to steadier ground—even if the adjustment period continues.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) spent 2022 aggressively fighting inflation by raising interest rates. In 2023, we expect the Fed to find that point where it can stop raising rates as inflation starts to come under control. The Fed’s efforts to control inflation throughout 2022 pulled interest rates up from extremely low levels that were historically unprecedented. While that has been painful for bond investors, savers can now get an attractive yield for the first time in over a decade or since 2007 and 2023 will be more focused on how to potentially benefit from this significant shift. Stock market expectations may also see some realignment heading into 2023. The projections for certain market segments became too high in 2022 following a decade of low rates and a burst of
extraordinary technology adoption. We expect 2023 will likely be more focused on the opportunities that may emerge from a market sell-off.
LPL Research’s Outlook 2023: Finding Balance is our guide to how the readjustments in the economy and markets may impact you in the coming year. The disruptions may not be fully resolved and there may be more challenges to come, but progress toward finding balance is well underway
