Oil just spiked past $90 a barrel, and the Federal Reserve looks more likely to raise rates than cut them next month.
Jim Cramer thinks that combination changes the playbook, and he is putting real money behind that view.
On the Tuesday, Sept. 1, episode of “Mad Money,” the CNBC host told viewers that surging oil, rising bond yields, and fresh Middle East tensions call for a more defensive approach, even with many companies still posting strong results.
His reasoning was blunt. “We simply aren’t in an environment that’s conducive to big capital gains, especially during September, which is historically the weakest month of the year,” Cramer said.
Cramer has hosted “Mad Money” since 2005 and managed money as a hedge fund manager before that, so his defensive shifts tend to draw attention when the backdrop turns rough.
Here is what he actually did, and how you can replicate his moves in your portfolio.
Why surging oil and a possible Fed rate hike changed Cramer’s playbook
Two forces are squeezing the market at the same time, and both hit stocks through the same channel.
The first is energy.
West Texas Intermediate crude jumped 5% to more than $90 a barrel after the U.S. military launched new strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz, following attacks on two oil tankers in the shipping route.
That matters because higher oil feeds straight into inflation.
When gasoline and shipping costs rise, companies pay more to operate, and consumers have less to spend on other things.
The second force is the Federal Reserve.
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh signaled at Jackson Hole that he’s more worried about inflation than slowing growth, a stance that points toward higher rates. Traders quickly responded by pricing in higher odds of a rate hike.
Markets now price a 66% chance of a quarter-point hike at the Sept. 15-16 meeting, Marketplace reported, up sharply from roughly a third before the speech.
Higher rates and oil prices both reduce what investors will pay for future earnings, which is why Cramer moved first.
Jim Cramer says surging oil prices and a possible September rate hike call for a more defensive approach to the market.Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images
Move 1: Raise cash to 15% for a shot at buying quality stocks cheaper
Cramer’s first step was to build a bigger cushion.
The Charitable Trust, the portfolio used by CNBC’s Investing Club, raised its cash position to 15%, a level Cramer called “extremely high.”
For readers, cash here means money not currently invested in stocks. It earns little, but it does not fall when the market drops.
That buffer does two jobs. It protects the portfolio during a pullback, and it gives Cramer money ready to spend when prices fall.
“We want it that high because without a true end of the war, you don’t know when the Iranians will provoke the president,” Cramer said.
He is not rushing to buy every dip, either. Cramer said he wants to see investor sentiment turn considerably more negative before putting more money to work.
How ordinary investors can apply this
Review how much of your portfolio sits in stocks versus cash right now.
Decide on a cash level you can hold without panic if September gets rocky.
Treat that cash as a buying reserve, not idle money.
Move 2: Cut data-center exposure by exiting Corning and trimming Broadcom
Cramer’s second move reduced his bet on the pricey corner of the AI trade.
The Trust exited its remaining Corning (GLW) position on Tuesday, Sept. 1, after trimming it the week before.
Related: BMO sees writing on the wall for Broadcom stock after earnings
It also cut its Broadcom (AVGO) stake to buy more Cardinal Health (CAH).
The Investing Club sold 165 shares of Broadcom at about $361, cutting its total holding in half. This move locked in a massive 323% profit on the shares originally bought back in 2023.
The logic is straightforward. High-multiple growth stocks carry rich valuations, and those valuations shrink fastest when rates and oil climb together.
Importantly, Cramer said the move does not reflect weakening AI demand. He pointed to Dell’s strong results as evidence that underlying demand remains solid.
Broadcom heads into its own fiscal third-quarter report with expectations set unusually high, which is the kind of setup Cramer wanted to lighten up on before the print.
Move 3: Rotate into Cardinal Health for steadier, defensive demand
Cramer put some of that freed-up cash into healthcare.
The Trust bought 50 shares of Cardinal Health at roughly $229, lifting its position to about 2.5%.
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Healthcare tends to hold up when the economy slows, because people still fill prescriptions and hospitals still need supplies, no matter where oil trades.
The company also gave investors a reason beyond the defensive label.
Cardinal Health expects its earnings to grow by 13% to 15% next year. This prediction is higher than the $12.04 per share that Wall Street analysts were expecting.
Cardinal Health reported that it generated about $5 billion in adjusted free cash flow in fiscal 2026, which supports both its dividend and its debt reduction.
This is the classic defensive trade: Swap some volatility for steadier demand and a modest, reliable payout.
What still has to happen before the defensive trade pays off
Cramer’s shifts are a bet, not a guarantee, and a few things need to break his way.
Oil would need to stay elevated or climb further for the inflation threat to stick. If tensions near the Strait of Hormuz ease, crude could fall and the pressure on stocks could lift.
The Federal Reserve also has to follow through. Not everyone agrees a September hike is coming, since some analysts note the softer labor market could hold the Fed back, CNBC reported.
Healthcare carries its own risk, too. Defensive names can still fall during a broad sell-off, and Cardinal Health already trades near the high end of its recent range at about 18 times forward earnings.
There is also a cost to holding 15% cash. If the market rallies instead of falling, that cash earns very little and limits returns.
How investors can read Cramer’s defensive shift
You do not need to copy Cramer’s exact trades to take something useful from them.
The clearest takeaway is to check your own concentration.
If most of your money is tied up in just a few booming AI stocks, an oil and interest rate shock will hurt you much more than a diversified investor.
Here are a few practical steps worth considering:
Look at how much of your portfolio depends on highly valued tech.
Build a cash reserve you can deploy if September brings lower prices.
Pay down variable-rate debt before higher rates make it more expensive.
That last point applies whether or not you own a stock Cramer mentioned.
If the Fed hikes interest rates, your credit card bills and loan payments will get more expensive almost immediately.
The bottom line on Cramer’s rising-rate and oil defense
Cramer’s message for September is simple: Protect what you have before chasing more.
He raised cash to 15%, trimmed the expensive part of the AI trade by exiting Corning and cutting Broadcom, and rotated into Cardinal Health for steadier demand.
The strategy works best if oil prices stay high and interest rates rise. However, if the stock market goes up instead, you will miss out on some extra profits.
For most readers, the useful move is not to mirror the trades but to review portfolio risk, keep some cash on hand, and clear costly variable debt while rates still hang in the balance.
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