What Types of Stocks Do Well During Volatility?

What Types of Stocks Do Well During Volatility?

Volatility is a measure of how much and how often a security’s price or a market index moves up or down over time. Higher volatility can mean higher risk, but it also has the potential to generate bigger rewards for investors. Meanwhile, lower volatility is typically correlated with lower risk and lower returns.

Developing a volatility investing strategy can make it easier to maximize returns while managing risk as the market moves from bullish to bearish and back again. Understanding the various stock market sectors and how they react to volatility is a good place to start. This can help with building a portfolio that’s designed to withstand occasional market dips or in the worst-case scenario, a recession.

What Causes Volatility in the Stock Market?

To implement a volatility investing plan it helps to first understand what causes fluctuations in stock prices to begin with. Stock market volatility can ebb and flow over time, and how high or low it is can depend on a number of factors. Some of the things that can push volatility levels higher include:

• Political events, such as elections

• Release of quarterly earnings reports

• Natural disasters

• The bursting of a stock market bubble

• Crises that in foreign countries

• Federal Reserve adjustments to interest rate policy

• News of a merger or acquisition

• Changes to fiscal policy

Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) hitting the market

• Excitement over meme stocks

A global pandemic can also spark volatility, as evidenced in the mini market crash that occurred early in 2020. Coronavirus fears prompted the end of the longest bull market in history, sending stocks into a bear market.

The downturn was significant enough that the National Bureau of Economic Research Business Cycle Dating Committee dubbed it a recession. It was, however, the shortest on record, lasting just two months. (By comparison, it took 18 months for the stock market to go from peak to trough during the Great Recession).

Predicting volatility can be difficult, though there is a tool that attempts it. The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) is a market index designed to measure expected volatility in the stock market. The VIX uses real-time stock quotes to calculate projected volatility over the coming 30 days. The VIX is one factor that goes into the Fear and Greed Index, which measures the emotions driving the stock market.

💡 Quick Tip: Before opening an investment account, know your investment objectives, time horizon, and risk tolerance. These fundamentals will help keep your strategy on track and with the aim of meeting your goals.

Market Sectors and Volatility

The stock market is effectively a pie with 11 different slices called sectors. These sectors represent the various segments of the market, based on the industries and companies they represent. The 11 sectors identified by the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) are:

• Information technology

• Health care

• Financials

• Consumer discretionary

• Consumer staples

• Communication services

• Industrials

• Materials

• Energy

• Utilities

• Real estate

Some of these sectors include more volatile industries than others, and the share of stocks in those industries within a given portfolio can impact how the portfolio reacts during times of volatility.

Stocks that tend to bear up under the pressure of a downturn or recession are generally categorized as defensive. You may also hear the terms “cyclical” and “non cyclical” used in reference to different market sectors. A cyclical sector or stock is one that’s volatile and tends to follow economic trends at any given time. Non Cyclical sectors or stocks, on the other hand, may outperform when the market experiences a downturn.

What Stock Sectors Do Best During Market Volatility?

Defensive stock market sectors tend to do better when the market is in decline for one reason: they represent things that consumers still need to spend money on, even when the economy is weakening. That means they may be of interest if you’re investing during a recession.

The following sectors tend to do the best during times of volatility:

• Utilities

• Consumer staples

• Health care

Here’s a closer look at how each sector works.

Utilities

The utilities sector represents companies and industries that provide utility services. That includes gas, electric, and water utilities. It can also include power producers, energy traders, and companies related to renewable energy production or distribution.

Since people still need running water, electricity and heat during a recession, utilities stocks tend to be a safe defensive bet.

Consumer Staples

The consumer staples sector covers companies and industries that are less sensitive to a changing economic or business cycle. That includes things like food and beverage manufacturers and distributors, food and drug retailing companies, tobacco producers, companies that produce household or personal care items and consumer super centers.

In simpler terms, the consumer staples sector means things like grocery stores, drugstores, and the manufacturers of everyday products. Since people still need to buy food and basic household or personal care items in a recession, stocks from these sectors can do well when volatility is high.

Health care

The health care sector includes health care service providers, companies that manufacture health care equipment, distributors of that equipment, health care technology companies, research and development companies and pharmaceutical companies.

Health care is a defensive sector since a recession usually doesn’t disrupt the need for medical care or medications.

💡 Quick Tip: It’s smart to invest in a range of assets so that you’re not overly reliant on any one company or market to do well. For example, by investing in different sectors you can add diversification to your portfolio, which may help mitigate some risk factors over time.

What Sectors and Stocks Are More Volatile?

When a recession sets in, defensive sector stocks can be a good buy. The period before a recession begins is often marked by increased volatility and declining stock prices. The impacts of that volatility may be more deeply felt in these sectors:

• Consumer discretionary

• Financials

• Communication services

• Energy

• Information technology

• Commodities

• Industrials

• Materials

These sectors represent more volatile industries that are more likely to be affected by large-scale market trends. For example, the financial sector suffered a serious blow leading up to the Great Recession. A decline in home prices paired with faulty lending practices prompted widespread defaults on mortgage-backed securities, leading a number of financial institutions to seek government bailout funding.

On the other hand, some of these same sectors do well when the economy is coming out of a recession and entering the early stage of the business cycle. For example, the consumer discretionary sector, which includes things like travel and entertainment, typically rebounds as consumers ease their purse strings and start spending on “fun” again. The industrials and materials sectors may also pick up if there’s an increase in manufacturing and production activity.

Understanding the relationships between individual sectors and the business cycle can make it easier to implement a sector investing approach. With sector investing, you’re adjusting your asset allocation over time to try and stay ahead of the economic cycle.

If you suspect a recession might be coming, for example, a sector investing strategy would dictate shifting some of your assets to defensive stocks. On the other hand, if you believe a recession is about to end and stocks are set to bounce back, you may shift your allocation to include more volatile industries that tend to do better in the early stages of the business cycle.

Recommended: Why You Need to Invest When the Market Is Down

Volatility and Business Cycles

Identifying volatile industries generally means considering which sectors or stocks are most sensitive to changes in the economic cycle. Aside from recessionary periods, the business cycle has three other stages:

Early Stage

The early stage of the business cycle typically represents the initial recovery period following a recession. Consumers may begin spending more money on non essentials as the economy begins to strengthen. This is also called the expansion phase, and it may coincide with periods of inflation.

Mid Stage

During the mid stage, the economy begins to hit a peak or plateau with growth leveling off. People are still spending money but the pace may begin slowing down.

Late Stage

The late stage is also called the contraction stage, as economic growth lags. The late stage of the business cycle is usually a precursor to the trough or recession stage.

The Takeaway

Volatility is unavoidable but there are things investors can do to minimize the impact to their portfolio. Diversifying with stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), or IPOs could help create volatility hedges.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).


Invest with as little as $5 with a SoFi Active Investing account.

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SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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How to Invest in Gold: Tips for 1st Time Gold Investors

As you build your investing portfolio, you might wonder: Is gold a good investment? While some investors may be interested in it as a hedge against inflation or market downturns, or to further diversify their portfolio, it’s important to know that investing in gold isn’t simple, especially for first-time investors. One reason is that there are so many ways to invest in gold, each with their own pros and cons.

Why Investors Like Gold

Historically, investors have turned to gold as a way to hedge against the possibility of inflation or events that could negatively impact the equity markets. And while it can be just as volatile as stocks in the short term, gold has historically held its value well over the long term. Even investors who are not particularly concerned about inflation or about calamities affecting the broader market, may turn to gold as a way to diversify a portfolio.

5 Ways to Invest in Gold

For anyone considering investing in this precious metal, it can be helpful to familiarize yourself with the different ways one can invest in gold.

Buy Physical Gold

When thinking of ways to invest in gold, the first image that may come to mind is piles of gold bars in a place like Fort Knox. Those bars are also known as bullion, and it comes in bars that can be as small as a few grams, or as large as 400 ounces. The most common denominations of gold bullion are one- and 10-ounce bars.

For many investors, even the one-ounce bars can be too expensive — roughly $2,200 per ounce in mid 2023. And because the bullion is a physical item, there’s no easy way to own a fraction of a bar. But if you do want to own bullion directly, the first order of business is to find a reputable dealer to buy from, and then look into the costs of delivery and insurance for the asset. Another option if you buy bullion is to pay for storage, either in a large vault or in a safety deposit box at a bank.

Buy Gold Coins

Gold coins offer another way to directly own the shiny yellow metal, in a variety of denominations including half-ounce and quarter-ounce. Well-known gold coins include South African Krugerrands, Canadian Maple Leafs, and American Gold Eagles, which have been known to sell at a premium to their actual gold content among collectors.

While you may be able to buy gold coins at a discount from local collectors or pawn shops, most investors will likely opt for a reputable dealer. As with bullion, it is important to protect this hard asset, either through insurance, or with a vault or safe deposit box.

Buy Gold Jewelry

If you don’t want your gold investment to just sit in a vault, then gold jewelry may be appealing. But it comes with its own considerations. The first is that gold jewelry may not have as much actual gold content as the jeweler claims. Verifying the authenticity of a piece not only protects you, but it will also help when it comes time to sell the piece. One way to do this is to only buy jewelry from reputable dealers, who can also deliver documentation about the piece.

Another point to remember is that a piece of jewelry will also come with a markup from the company that made it, which can make the piece cost as much as three times the value of its metal. And jewelry typically isn’t 100% pure gold — or 24 karats — so it’s important to know the purity and melt value of the jewelry before you buy.

Buy the Stocks of Gold Mining Companies

One way to take advantage of growth in the value of gold with your existing brokerage account that you might want to consider is to buy the stocks of companies in the gold business, including miners and refiners.

While gold stocks tend to go up and down with the price of gold, they may also experience price changes based on the company’s own prospects.

💡 Quick Tip: Before opening any investment account, consider what level of risk you are comfortable with. If you’re not sure, start with more conservative investments, and then adjust your portfolio as you learn more.

Buy Gold ETFs and Mutual Funds

If the risks or individual mining and refining companies are too much, you may want to consider a gold exchange-traded fund (ETF) or mutual fund. These vehicles — which are available through one’s brokerage account — invest in gold in different ways.

Buy Gold Futures and Options

Experienced investors with some familiarity trading derivatives may consider investing in the gold market through futures and options. These contracts allow the investor to buy or sell gold for an agreed-upon price by a fixed date. To trade these contracts, an investor needs a brokerage account that offers the ability to trade them.

An investment in gold options or futures contracts, however, requires active monitoring. These contracts expire on a regular basis, so investors have to be ready to sell, roll over, or exercise them as gold prices change, and as the contracts reach their expiration dates.

💡 Quick Tip: How to manage potential risk factors in a self directed investment account? Doing your research and employing strategies like dollar-cost averaging and diversification may help mitigate financial risk when trading stocks.

What Will Gold Be Worth in 2030?

Predicting the future price of an idiosyncratic and volatile commodity like gold is all but impossible. For instance, back in 2020, gold increased in value by 24.6% in U.S. dollars, and reached all-time highs in a number of currencies, in anticipation of a coming wave of inflation.

In its 2023 In Gold We Trust report, asset manager Incrementum predicted a “showdown in gold prices” and increased demand due to inflation and a possible recession, stating that “investment demand from gold ETFs could tip the gold prices scales.”

One reason why gold investors believe the precious metal may have strong prospects is that the broader economy has been in an inflationary period. One measure of this is the consumer price index (CPI). The latest CPI data in mid-2023 showed that inflation is slowing, but it’s still a concern for consumers and for investors.

The Takeaway

Investors interested in gold typically gravitate toward it as a hedge against inflation or as a means of diversifying their portfolios. Those who want access to this precious metal have some choices: They can buy bullion, coins, jewelry, mining stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, futures, and options.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

Invest with as little as $5 with a SoFi Active Investing account.


Image credit: iStock/LeonidKos
SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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What Are Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS)?

What Are Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS)?

Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, or TIPS, are one way to hedge against inflation in a portfolio. Inflation, or a sustained period of rising consumer prices, can take a bite out of investor portfolios as the prices of goods and services increase.

These government-issued securities are inflation-protected bonds that adjust in tandem with shifts in consumer prices to maintain value.

Investing in TIPS bonds could make sense for investors who are seeking protection against inflation or who want to increase their conservative asset allocation.

Recommended: Smart Ways to Hedge Against Inflation

What Are TIPS?

Understanding Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities starts with understanding a little about how bonds work. When you invest in a bond, whether it’s issued by a government, corporation or municipality, you’re essentially lending the issuer your money. In return, the bond issuer agrees to pay that money back to you at a specified date, along with interest. For that reason, bonds are often a popular option for those seeking fixed income investments.

TIPS are inflation-protected bonds that pay interest out to investors twice annually, at a fixed rate applied to the adjusted principal of the bond. This principal can increase with inflation or decrease with deflation, which is a sustained period of falling prices. When the bond matures, you’re paid out the original principal or the adjusted principal—whichever is greater.

Here are some key TIPS basics to know:

•  TIPS bonds are issued in terms of 5, 10 and 30 years

•  Interest rates are determined at auction

•  Minimum investment is $100

•  TIPS are issued electronically

•  You can hold TIPS bonds until maturity or sell them ahead of the maturity date on the secondary market

Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities are different from other types of government-issued bonds. With I Bonds, for example, interest accrues over the life of the bond and is paid out when the bond is redeemed. Interest earned is not based on any adjustments to the bond principal—hence, no inflationary protection.


💡 Quick Tip: Before opening any investment account, consider what level of risk you are comfortable with. If you’re not sure, start with more conservative investments, and then adjust your portfolio as you learn more.

How Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) Work

Understanding how TIPS work is really about understanding the relationship they have with inflation and deflation.

Inflation refers to an increase in the price of goods and services over time. The federal government measures inflation using price indexes, including the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The federal government measures inflation using the Consumer Price Index, which measures the average change in prices over time for a basket of consumer goods and services. That includes things like food, gas, and energy or utility services.

Deflation is essentially the opposite of inflation, in which consumer prices for goods and services drop over time. This can happen in a recession, but deflation can also be triggered when there’s a significant imbalance between supply and demand for goods and services. Both inflation and deflation can be detrimental to investors if they have trickle-down effects that impact the way consumers spend and borrow money.

When inflation or deflation occurs, inflation-protected bonds can provide a measure of stability with regard to investment returns. Here’s how it works:

•  You purchase one or more Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities

•  You then earn a fixed interest rate on the TIPS bond you own

•  When inflation increases, the bond principal increases

•  When deflation occurs, the bond principal decreases

•  Once the bond matures, you receive the greater of the adjusted principal or the original principal

This last part is what protects you from negative impacts associated with either inflation or deflation. You’ll never receive less than the face value of the bond, since the principal adjusts to counteract changes in consumer prices.

Are TIPS a Good Investment?

Investing in inflation-protected bonds could make sense if you’re interested in creating some insulation against the impacts of inflation in your portfolio. For example, say you invest $1,000 into a 10-year TIPS bond that offers a 2% coupon rate. The coupon rate represents the yield or income you can expect to receive from the bond while you hold it.

Now, assume that inflation rises to 3% over the next year. This would put the bond’s face value at $1,030, with an annual interest payment of $20.60. If you were looking at a period of deflation instead, then the bond’s face value and interest payments would decline. But the principal would adjust to reflect that to minimize the risk of a negative return.

Recommended: Understanding Deflation and How it Impacts Investors

Pros of Investing in TIPS

What TIPS offer that more traditional bonds don’t is a real rate of return versus a nominal rate of return. In other words, the interest you earn with Treasury Inflation Protected Securities reflects the bond’s actual return once inflation is factored in. As mentioned, I Bonds don’t offer that; you’re just getting whatever interest is earned on the bond over time.

Since these are government bonds, there’s virtually zero credit risk to worry about. (Credit risk means the possibility that a bond issuer might default and not pay anything back to investors.) With TIPS bonds, you’re going to at least get the face value of the bond back if nothing else. And compared to stocks, bonds are generally a far less risky investment.

If the adjusted principal is higher than the original principal, then you benefit from an increase in inflation. Since it’s typically more common for an economy to experience periods of inflation rather than deflation, TIPS can be an attractive diversification option if you’re looking for a more conservative investment.

Recommended: The Importance of Portfolio Diversification

Cons of Investing in TIPS

There are some potential downsides to keep in mind when investing with TIPS. For example, they’re more sensitive to interest rate fluctuations than other types of bonds. If you were to sell a Treasury Inflation-Protected Security before it matures, you could risk losing money, depending on the interest rate environment.

You may also find less value from holding TIPS in your portfolio if inflation doesn’t materialize. When you redeem your bonds at maturity you will get back the original principal and you’ll still benefit from interest earned. But the subsequent increases in principal that TIPS can offer during periods of inflation is a large part of their appeal.

It’s also important to consider where taxes fit in. Both interest payments and increases in principal from inflation are subject to federal tax, though they are exempt from state and local tax. The better your TIPS bonds perform, the more you might owe in taxes at the end of the year.

How to Invest in Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities

If you’re interested in adding TIPS to your portfolio, there are three ways you can do it.

1.   Purchase TIPS bonds directly from the U.S. Treasury. You can do this online through the TreasuryDirect website. You’d need to open an account first but once you do so, you can submit a noncompetitive bid for inflation protected bonds. The TreasuryDirect system will prompt you on how to do this.

2.   Purchase TIPS through a banker, broker or dealer. With this type of arrangement, the banker, broker or dealer submits a bid for you. You can either specify what type of yield you’re looking for, which is a competitive bid, or accept whatever is available, which is a noncompetitive bid.

3.   Invest in securities that hold TIPS, i.e. exchange-traded funds or mutual funds. There’s no such thing as a TIP stock but you could purchase a TIPS ETF if you’d like to own a basket of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities. You might choose this option if you don’t want to purchase individual bonds and hold them until maturity.

When comparing different types of investments that are available with ETFs or mutual funds, pay attention to:

•  Underlying holdings

•  Fund turnover ratio

•  Expense ratios

Also consider the fund’s overall performance, particularly during periods of inflation or deflation. Past history is not an exact predictor of future performance but it may shed some light on how a TIPS ETF has reacted to rising or falling prices previously.

The Takeaway

Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities may help shield your portfolio against some of the negative impacts of inflation. Investors who are worried about their purchasing power shrinking over time may find TIPS appealing.
But don’t discount the value of investing in stocks and other securities as well. Building a diversified portfolio that takes into consideration an investor’s personal risk tolerance, as well as financial goals and time horizons, is a popular strategy.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.


SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs): Investors should carefully consider the information contained in the prospectus, which contains the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other relevant information. You may obtain a prospectus from the Fund company’s website or by email customer service at [email protected]. Please read the prospectus carefully prior to investing.
Shares of ETFs must be bought and sold at market price, which can vary significantly from the Fund’s net asset value (NAV). Investment returns are subject to market volatility and shares may be worth more or less their original value when redeemed. The diversification of an ETF will not protect against loss. An ETF may not achieve its stated investment objective. Rebalancing and other activities within the fund may be subject to tax consequences.


Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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