Is It Safe To Invest In The Stock Market Now? Legendary investor Shelby Cullom Davis once said that you make the majority of your profits in a bear market, you just don’t realize it at the time.
That stands to reason. Investing is, in theory, a relatively straightforward endeavor. You simply buy low, then sell high. In fact, you don’t even have to sell high if you’re an income investor – you just choose a solid business with a favorable yield and let the dividend payments roll on in.
Indeed, given the parlous nature of the markets right now, it might seem there’s never been a better time to acquire stock at such cutthroat prices. So, if you’re looking to exploit this present situation, here’s what you need to know.
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Don’t Wait For The Perfect Entry Point
Share prices are highly changeable, and trying to time your entry into the market can be extremely difficult. However, profits tend to average themselves out, and even if you don’t buy at the very bottom, you’ll still likely see some positive returns.
Furthermore, you can also implement a strategy known as dollar cost averaging. This involves investing a fixed amount of money at regular intervals, which helps smooth out the effects of market volatility.
In fact, one of the main advantages of dollar cost averaging is that it takes the emotion out of investing. Indeed, when you invest a set amount of money on a consistent basis, you are less likely to worry about identifying an optimum trading opportunity.
This can be a dangerous move, as trying to time the markets is usually unsuccessful – but by using this strategy, you can avoid making knee-jerk decisions that might not be in your best interests.
While there are some advantages to using dollar cost averaging, it’s important to remember that this strategy won’t guarantee success. You could still lose money if the overall market continues to trend downward. However, if you’re patient and disciplined, dollar cost averaging can be an effective way to expand your portfolio in an efficient and stress-free manner.
So When Is The Best Time To Start Investing In The Stock Market?
There’s really no better time to start investing in the market than today. The current economic situation has created a unique opportunity to buy stocks at a discounted rate, and the long-term prospects for the stock market remain strong. And while it might be prone to ups and downs, over the long term, it has always rebounded from any temporary setbacks.
Diversifying your portfolio is also a clever move when broader macroeconomic conditions are so unpredictable. In fact, by having a mix of investments, you reduce your overall risk and have a greater chance of making money over time.
For example, if you invest in a range of stocks from different sectors, you can protect yourself from losses if one sector performs poorly. This approach is known as safety in numbers.
Another reason to diversify is that it allows you to take advantage of opportunities for growth in different areas. For example, if you invest in cyclical stocks, like those in the mining and oil industries, you will do well when the economy is growing but not quite so well when it slows down.
On the other hand, some startups – such as those in the tech and pharmaceutical spaces – can perform exceptionally well even when the economy retracts. Thus, investing in both types of companies can both smooth out and leverage the ups and downs of your investment choices.
Finally, while seen as being dull and lacking potential, utility stocks can often provide ballast for your portfolio during periods of market turbulence. In other words, they offer stability and protection against losses – which is always a welcome bonus.
Is It A Safe Bet To Enter The Markets Today?
The stock market remains pretty volatile at the moment. Prices fluctuate very quickly, and sometimes it can be hard to predict which way they will eventually move. This is especially true when prices fall as rapidly as they have been doing recently.
Indeed, many people believe that the market is still overvalued and that prices will continue to decline. However, some believe that the true value of the market has yet to be realized, and that prices will eventually rebound.
Looking further ahead, it’s clear that interest rates and inflation will play a key role in determining the direction that the stock market will ultimately go. Right now, interest rates are rising at historically unprecedented rates, and inflation is shooting up, too – and these could prove to be significant headwinds for the market in the short term.
However, if interest rates rise too quickly – or inflation gets out of control – it could lead to a recession, which would be bad for investors and the stock market in general.
But there’s no reason to think that the stock market won’t reverse its fortunes and start to go up again fairly soon. After all, it always has done in the past.
The Bottom Line: Is It Safe To Invest Now?
Current market conditions may appear dire, but savvy investors know that this is actually a great time to buy. That’s because when valuations are low – and companies are trading at bargain prices – there’s tremendous potential for gains.
Indeed, now is the time to invest in good companies with solid fundamentals. These are businesses that are currently undervalued by the market and have the potential to rise sharply as conditions improve.
By taking advantage of low valuation multiples today, you can position yourself to generate big returns when the market rebounds. So don’t be discouraged – a small investment now could lead to big rewards further down the line.
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