It is a well-worn line that ‘time in the markets is better than timing the markets’. However true that is, it’s hard not to wonder if there is more you can do to cushion your portfolio from the worst of what’s coming down the line.

Diversification is always smart but is there anything we can learn from past UK recessions to help you choose what to keep in your basket of investments, what to add and what to cut loose?

Recessions come in different shapes and sizes. The Bank of England is anticipating that the recession currently stalking the country will be long and shallow, more like that experienced in the 1990s or early 2000s than the short sharp shock that was the post-Covid recession. Though their forecasting skills have been questionable of late.

It takes two quarters of negative growth before a recession is technically signed off but market performance often flashes warning signs months before the backward-looking official data catches up.

Which stocks suffered the most as the UK economy began to shrink over the last two recessions, and which held up against the slowdown? Is there anything we can glean from the data that might inform our choices as the UK faces its next downturn?

GREAT FINANCIAL CRISIS

Officially labelled on 23 January 2009, revisions show the economy actually begin to falter from April 2008. With the benefit of hindsight no one will be surprised to see house builders and construction companies like Taylor Wimpey (TW.) and Howden Joinery (HWDN) among those losing the most ground as lenders cut credit lines and Britain’s property boom turned to bust.

Big pharma like AstraZeneca (AZN) and tech companies like Micro Focus International (MCRO) and online retailer ASOS (ASC) thrived, an interesting mix of growth and value stocks that mostly held onto their share price performance.

Once through to the other side it’s clear there were opportunities for investors to make gains as the economy powered back up.

COVID CRASH

It was a similar picture in the run up to the ‘Covid crash’, though the 2020 recession was far, far deeper and far shorter than that seen in the wake of the financial crisis.

The special circumstances of this downturn means it is probably harder to draw conclusions for future recessions – with many of the top performers companies which enjoyed a direct benefit from lockdown restrictions and vice versa.

Most stocks enjoyed a post-recession surge whether they’d tumbled or not. Every downturn is different and the factors behind them can vary significantly but what can be relied on is every recession is followed by recovery and when sentiment flips markets can enjoy very strong gains leaving those who aren’t invested for dust.

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