We're now well into earnings season, and several companies have mentioned that they're seeing a global slowdown. Chipotle and McDonald's are just two examples of companies that been affected by decreasing consumer demand. McDonald's summarized it perfectly by saying the slowdown was "a little more than a European cold." Intel also reported lower demand going forward as the PC industry remains sluggish. Finally, Nike reported weakness in Europe, and UPS just missed earnings and lowered guidance because of uncertainty. Analysts John Reeves and David Meier think that investors can do a few things to prepare their portfolios for a possible slowdown. First, they should have some cash on hand -- 10% in cash might be a good number for the average portfolio. Second, investors should try to better understand the risks they are taking. Finally, it's important to maintain a long-term view for high-quality companies. Time is the friend of businesses like Chipotle, Nike, and Intel.

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