It can be hard to look at the carnage in the markets right now and identify stocks that can restore some stability to your damaged portfolio. But there is a whole class of them that, well-picked, can help you do just that.
We're talking about real estate investment trusts (REITs). There are about 225 publicly traded REITs now. They operate income-producing portfolios and are required by law to pass through at least 90% of their taxable income to shareholders in the form of dividends.
To be clear, REITs haven't escaped the downturn. For instance, the Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF (NYSEMKT: VNQ) -- a weighted collection of about 160 REITs -- is down about 19% year-to-date, even worse than the about 17% for the S&P 500.
For further details see:
3 Top REITs to Buy Now and Hold for the Next Decade