The worst of the bear market appears to be over and investors should look at getting back into stocks, David Rubenstein of the Carlyle Group said Wednesday. Rubenstein, the co-founder and co-chairman of the private equity giant, said on CNBC’s ” Squawk on the Street ” that investors shouldn’t wait until the coast is all clear to start buying again. “The best time to invest is when there’s some uncertainty or when the economy seems to be a little bit nervous in terms of where it’s going,” Rubenstein said. “It’s a good time to invest now, because I think the market is not going to see another 20% drop in public prices,” he added. “I think that is probably past us, and I think we’re probably coming back to the point where people are going to feel comfortable investing.” Rubenstein’s comments came at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Stocks have risen to start the year, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite up 6% in 2023. However, several Wall Street strategists have warned that a pullback is likely coming soon, including JPMorgan’s Mislav Matejka earlier this week. Part of the uncertainty for markets and the U.S. economy this year is how far the Federal Reserve will go to tame inflation. Rubenstein said he expects the central bank to hike its benchmark interest rate by one-quarter of a percentage point at each of its next two meetings before pausing and then potentially cutting rates later in the year. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is a former partner at The Carlyle Group.
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