Even short government shutdowns can change the investing landscape. This effect of the latest budget impasse in Congress could be more pronounced given lingering high inflation, a weakening job market, high valuations and Wall Street’s expectation that the Fed will continue its interest-rate reductions.

These circumstances create an environment ripe for volatility. You may want to insulate your portfolio by adding stable, resilient positions. Here are six options to consider.

These featured stocks were identified based on the following parameters:

These six companies, ordered from largest market capitalization to smallest, meet the requirements.

Metrics included in the reviews of each company are sourced from company reports and stockanalysis.com.

Walmart by the numbers:

Walmart, the global mass market retailer, has more than 10,000 store locations and a portfolio of ecommerce sites. The company also owns the Sam’s Club chain.

Over the last 10 years, Walmart has built a competitive ecommerce business to complement its strong brick-and-mortar footprint. The retailer’s global, omni-channel approach with a low-cost focus supports:

Walmart is positioned to navigate any near-term economic disruptions caused by tariffs and other policy changes.

Highlights from Walmart’s second quarter ending in July include 5.6% constant-currency sales growth, a 25% increase in global ecommerce sales and 46% growth in the global advertising business. Walmart had $9.4 billion in cash and equivalents on its balance sheet at the end of July.

Boston Scientific by the numbers:

Boston Scientific produces medical devices and therapies that treat cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive conditions, among others. The company has two reporting segments: Cardiovascular and Medsurg.

Cardiovascular includes the successful Watchman and Farapulse businesses, among other things. The Watchman device lowers stroke risk for patients with a certain type of irregular heartbeat. Farapulse safely removes cardiac tissue, a procedure used to treat irregular heartbeats.

Medsurg develops solutions for GI and pulmonary conditions, kidney stones, urinary incontinence, movement disorders and more.

Boston Scientific has business momentum, and the leadership team believes it will continue. Reasons for the optimism include the company’s active innovation pipeline, a range of growth opportunities and an improving operating margin. Boston Scientific also has a strong record of increasing sales and successful strategic acquisitions.

The company

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