Simple investment rule number 5: tune out the noise

Emotion is the enemy of investment and history has shown that trying to time the market usually leads to worse returns. Don’t listen to commentators telling you to buy or sell, have the conviction to stick to your long-term plan.

Rule Number 5: Tune out the noise!

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18/09/2020

Transcript

The fifth rule of investing: tune out the noise

Emotion is the enemy of investment and when markets are up and down it’s easy to get emotional. History has shown that trying to time the market usually leads to worse returns.

Tune out the noise

Don’t listen to commentators telling you to buy or sell, have the conviction to stick to your long-term plan. Investors who chase performance or who run away from poor performance are doomed. The difference between good and bad investors is that good investors can tune out the noise.

Conclusion

You’ll say that the 2008 global financial crisis was hardly noise or the coronavirus epidemic that we’re living through right now and you’re right, situations like that can have a huge impact on investors and affect the economy for years. But the people who panicked and pulled out in

2008 to protect their money crystallised their losses and then lost out on the next 10 years of stellar growth.

The stock market has risen by 84 in that time. That’s a lot to lose out on smart investors stay invested and we know you’re smart investors.

Article is accurate at date of writing.