SLC's Mullarkey: Soft landing, solid potential make 'a good time to be an investor'

Dec Mullarkey, head of investment strategy and asset allocation for SLC Investments, says investors are "pretty risk-on," meaning they expect the economy is headed to an environment where rates will settle down at reasonable levels and consumers will keep spending, creating a sound environment for investors. That extends to Europe and some international markets, which will help balance a portfolio that may be impacted by a downturn late in the year, but Mullarkey says any downturn is likely to be a buying opportunity because current conditions can't keep the market down for long. That general market optimism through volatility and a correction is shared by Michele Schneider, director of trading education at MarketGauge.com, who expects heightened volatility but who sees the market likely being higher at the end of the year, with 6,000 — up about 8 percent from current levels on the Standard & Poor's 500 — being a level the market will challenge. Plus, Jonathan Smucker, portfolio manager at Marietta Investment Partners talks stocks in the Money Life Market Call.