04/09/2024 by Lottie Kent 0 Comments
4 simple ways to stay positive about investing during periods of volatility
Recent market volatility has spooked some investors – but there’s no need to panic. Read four simple ways to stay positive about investing in times of uncertainty.
Investing is a cornerstone of any modern financial plan – without it, you may find it hard to grow your wealth over the long term.
While most people know this to be true, if you follow the financial news, you could have found the last four years hard to stomach. The Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis that followed in the UK, Europe and US, combined with ongoing geopolitical conflict, have all caused the stock market to yo-yo, sparking concerns among investors all over the world.
These short-term dips have occurred as recently as August 2024. One of many examples is the recent sell-off of shares from a Japanese index, the Nikkei 25, which affected global markets and worried investors who saw the value of their holdings go down.
Plus, with the US election on the horizon, it may be that global markets remain unsteady for the remainder of 2024.
So, if you’re torn between wanting to invest for a more prosperous future and feeling despondent about the volatility of the stock market, you are not alone.
Keep reading to discover four data-driven ways to remain optimistic about your investment journey.
1. Focus on your long-term objectives
While day trading has become a popular practice for some investors, it is important to note that “time in the market” is more likely to help you achieve your goals than “timing the market”.
In other words, while the last few years have been somewhat chaotic for investors, it may help to tune out the noise around volatility altogether and focus on your long-term objectives.
Based on historical market data, the likelihood is that over time, the value of your investments may rise overall despite fluctuating in the short term.
Take the FTSE 100 index, for example. As you can see below, over the 40 years between 1984 and 2024, volatility has been near constant – but over the long term, the value of the index has risen substantially.
Source: London Stock Exchange (27 August 2024). Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
If FTSE 100 investors had cashed out every time the market took an unexpected downturn, they might not have benefited from the growth the index saw over these 40 years.
Patient investors, on the other hand, may have realised that while past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance, sticking out any ups and downs has historically been worth it.
To emphasise how detrimental panic-selling can be, take a look at the below graph. Often, the market’s sharpest falls are followed by its biggest upticks, and vice versa, meaning that acting impulsively after a downturn could mean you miss out when the market recovers.
Source: Fidelity. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
A quick recovery happened in the recent case of Japan’s Nikkei 25 index, which experienced its biggest downturn in 37 years in August 2024. Despite this, the index rebounded by 10% the very next day, the Guardian (6 August 2024) reports.
By remaining calm and looking at your long-term plan, you may have been less likely to sell any Nikkei 25 holdings after seeing its downswing, and could now be reaping the rewards of your cool-headedness.
As such, when you see the investment journey as a lifelong one, you might feel more optimistic about remaining invested through periods of volatility.
2. Find the right level of risk for you
Are you someone who enjoys a rollercoaster, loves extreme sports, and is happy to take risks if there’s a chance of a higher reward? Or do you prefer to play it safe if you can more easily predict the outcome?
Assessing your attitude to risk in a non-financial context may help you find the right risk level when it comes to your investments. Typically, lower-risk portfolios see more reliable returns, but these may be less impressive than those generated by a higher-risk portfolio (which, as the name suggests, normally has a greater chance of making a loss too).
As a financial planner, I can help you assess your attitude to risk by:
- Asking questions about your dreams and goals
- Looking at your capacity for loss
- Talking to you about how much risk you and your finances are likely to tolerate.
Together, we can come up with an appropriate suite of investments that helps you gain peace of mind, even when markets encounter instability.
3. Stop obsessively checking your portfolio
While it can be fun to check on the performance of your portfolio (such as logging into your Stocks and Shares ISA or defined contribution pension accounts online), doing so too often might just make you anxious.
As you’ve read throughout this article, short-term fluctuations are unlikely to have a grave impact on your overall returns – so fixating on them might just mean you make a mountain out of a molehill.
Instead, it can be helpful to look at how your investments are doing once a year with the help of a financial planner. If your portfolio has experienced any losses, I can guide you through why this might be the case and offer qualified advice about your next steps.
Tuning out the little things and focusing on the big picture with a professional by your side can make a tangible difference to your anxiety levels and could boost your confidence as an investor.
4. Talk to your financial planner
Even if you know, logically, that short-term volatility shouldn’t worry you, we’re only human. The constant cycle of financial news, social media, and discussions among friends and family about world events could all give you a sense of unease about investing on the whole.
That’s where a qualified professional can be so instructive. I’ll listen to your concerns and provide data-driven advice tailored to your exact situation – whether you’re retired, approaching retirement, getting divorced, providing for family members, or any other unique circumstance.
To chat with me about your investing journey, email lottie@truefinancialdesign.co.uk or call 07824 554288.
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