What should Oklahoma investors do in 2009?

Investors must position themselves for an economic recovery, even in the midst of a recession, some Oklahoma investment experts said.

It’s time to buy stocks, said John Burns, Principal of Burns Advisory Group in Oklahoma City.

The average return for the Standard & Poor’s 500 in the 12 months following the end of the last three recessions was 30 percent, Burns said. The average return for small-cap value stocks in those markets was nearly 60 percent.

"We’re incredibly optimistic for 2009 and beyond,” Burns said.

CPAs hold wary view on state’s economy

Less optimistic are many of the state’s certified public accountants. More than half of the CPAs surveyed in the 2009 Oklahoma Economic Outlook Poll indicated the state’s economy would get "worse” or "much worse,” an enormous jump from the 17.5 percent of respondents who held that opinion a year ago.

Burns said investors, before dashing back into the stock market, must make sure they have enough money saved to cover several years of expenses, Burns said.

Markets generally begin to recover before the economy, Burns said. The stock market has posted significant gains since bottoming out last month.

Bob Rader, executive vice president at Capital West Securities said many Oklahomans could save money by distinguishing between their wants and their needs.

"Cut back on your ‘wants’ and you’ll cut back on unnecessary spending,” Rader said.