Imagine being on a Ferris wheel: about a minute you’re on top of the world, the next you’re at the bottom – and wanting to return up again. Investing in cyclical companies is much the same, except the time it requires to down go up and, known as a business cycle, can last years.

What Are Cyclical Stocks? Identifying these businesses is fairly simple. They can be found along industry lines often. Automobile manufacturers, airlines, furniture, steel, paper, heavy machinery, hotels, and expensive restaurants will be the best examples. Share and Earnings prices of cyclical companies tend to follow the up and downs of the overall economy; that’s why these are called cyclical.

When the economy booms, as it did in the go-go ’90s, sales of things such as cars, plane tickets, and fine wines tend to thrive. On the other hand, cyclicals are inclined to suffer in economic downturns. For more on the business enterprise cycle, see Recession: EXACTLY WHAT DOES It Mean To Investors?

Given the up-and-down nature of the overall economy and, as a result, that of cyclical stocks, successful cyclical trading requires careful timing. You’ll be able to make big money if you time the right path into these stocks at the bottom of a down routine just ahead of an upturn. But traders can also lose considerable quantities if they buy at the incorrect point in the cycle. Comparing Cyclicals to Growth StocksAll companies do when the economy keeps growing better, but good growth companies, even in the most severe trading conditions, still manage to turn in increased cash flow per share every year.

• 4 years ago from Calcutta
• Eligibility: Could be opened by Resident Indian Individual
• Allows for clinical innovation, especially for patients who do not react to standard treatments
• Mark Twain Author
• ► November 2009 (2)
• Lightening up

In a downturn, the development for these companies may be slower than their long-term average, but it will still be a long-lasting feature. Cyclicals, in comparison, respond more violently than growth stocks to financial changes. They can suffer mammoth losses during severe recessions and can have a hard time surviving before the next boom.

But, when things do begin to change for the better, dramatic swings from losses to earnings can far exceed targets often. Performance may also outpace growth stocks by a wide margin. So, when will it pay to get them? Predicting an upswing can be awfully difficult, especially because so many cyclical stocks and shares start doing well many months prior to the economy comes out of the recession. Buying requires research and courage.