Take Control of Your Cash Flow, and Energy Stocks on Fire

Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing

The Motley Fool

Investing, Business

4.3 • 3.1K Ratings

🗓️ 7 February 2026

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Certified Financial Planner Stephanie Marini joins Robert Brokamp for this month’s installment of the 2026 Financial Planning Challenge. Stephanie and Bro (Robert’s nickname at The Motley Fool) explain how to calculate and automate the amounts you need to pay off your debts, build a safety net, and save enough to accomplish your financial goals.Also in this episode:-While many tech stocks struggle, energy stocks are gushing-The bond market has struggled mightily since the pandemic, but the future looks brighter-Cisco finally surpasses its previous high reached in March of 2000-Accomplish the financial tasks that are sticking in your craw – your bottom line and your peace of mind will thank youHost: Robert BrokampGuest: Stephanie MariniEngineer: Bart Shannon Disclosure: Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, “TMF”) do not endorse, recommend, or verify the accuracy or completeness of the statements made within advertisements. TMF is not involved in the offer, sale, or solicitation of any securities advertised herein and makes no representations regarding the suitability, or risks associated with any investment opportunity presented. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult with legal, tax, and financial advisors before making any investment decisions. TMF assumes no responsibility for any losses or damages arising from this advertisement.We’re committed to transparency: All personal opinions in advertisements from Fools are their own. The product advertised in this episode was loaned to TMF and was returned after a test period or the product advertised in this episode was purchased by TMF. Advertiser has paid for the sponsorship of this episode.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Being intentional with your cash flow and the best performing sector of the past five years may surprise you.
0:11.2	You're listening to the Saturday personal finance edition of Motley Full Money.
0:24.6	I'm Robert Brokamp, though my nickname here at The Fool is Bro. So don't be surprised if you hear colleagues call me, bro, when they're guests on the show.
0:28.8	Including this week, when fellow Fool employee and certified financial planner,
0:32.6	Stephanie Marini joins me to discuss this one's installment of our 2026 financial planning challenge.
0:38.7	But first, let's highlight some items in the news from this past week. You know, it's been an
0:42.9	interesting year so far for investors. Many formerly high-flying tech stocks are taking it on the
0:47.3	chin while sub-segments of the market are going gangbusters. For example, consumer staples are up
0:53.0	12% in 2026 as of the taping of this episode
0:56.5	on the morning of February 5th, which trounces their meager 1.5% return in all of 2025.
1:02.8	But the best performing sector so far this year is energy, which is up more than 18% in 2026,
1:09.3	driven largely by a spike in oil prices due to geopolitical tensions related to Venezuela and Iran.
1:15.2	Despite the fact that AI and tech stocks have grabbed most of the investment headlines in recent memory,
1:20.1	the energy sector has actually outperformed the tech sector over the last five years.
1:24.5	Since early February of 2021, the State Street Energy Sector-E-S-L-E has earned a total return of 169%
1:35.1	compared to 114% for the State Street Technology Sector-E-TF,
1:41.6	ticker X-L-K.
1:43.7	An investment that hasn't had such a great five years is the bond market, which brings
1:47.3	us to our next item.
1:48.8	Charlie Bellello of Creative Planning posted on X that the Bloomberg aggregate bond
1:53.1	index has spent 66 months below its all-time high set in August of 2020.
1:59.4	It is by far the longest drawdown since the index was launched
	...

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