How are tariffs impacting your retirement plans?

Neugent, associate professor-educator at Lindner College of Business and Director of the MS Finance Program, said that investors in the stock market prefer certainty in fiscal policy to help them map out investment decisions. “Right now, that lack of certainty is providing some angst within the market and investors,” he told WVXU. Many U.S. companies will face challenges from tariffs, but pauses on tariff plans can sometimes lead to more questions than answers. 

Neugent also said it is important to keep in mind that not every company will hurt from an increase in tariffs. “Certain companies are more exposed than others to the tariffs. There are others that are relatively immune, and actually may benefit from what’s happening,” he explained. 

To Neugent, that’s where having a financial adviser can come in handy, as they can parse out which companies can benefit even as markets may overall falter. “If you have a financial adviser, talk to them. If you don’t have one, get one,” he told WVXU.

WXVU also asked Neugent about inflation risks for consumer goods. “I would look at this kind of like we saw in COVID. People stocked up out of fear more so than necessity. Everything’s not going to be equally impacted,” he said. While consumers may buy less discretionary goods, they will still need staple products, and likely continue to buy them regularly.

Neugent said even with volatility and uncertainty dependent on the news cycle, markets tend to bounce back, noting that the S&P 500 index is already near the levels it was before the first round of tariffs were announced. “The question is going to be to what degree that is going to sustain itself,” he said. “The market is obviously looking for hope.”

Listen to the full interview on WVXU.

Featured image at top of a retirement fund jar. Photo/Adobe Stock/pinkomelet