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[Start investing] How to create a long-term investing plan

24 Nov 2021

Investments can go up and down. Over the long term, however, they tend to go up, so you’re more likely to see returns from a longer than a shorter-term investment.

The chart shows the performance of global equities over different time frames between 1999 and 2020.

For example, the 1-year bar graph (far left) shows that the index performance over any 1-year period between 1999 and 2020 ranged from -35% and 65%. However, for any 10-year period (far right), the index performance ranged between -11% and 301%.

So, the longer you stay invested, the more likely you are to enjoy positive returns.

Chart: Performance of global equities

Source: Bloomberg, as of 31 December 2020, MSCI AC World Total Return Index, calculated by rolling returns in USD within a 1-, 3-, 5- and 10- year timeframe. Past performance is not an indication of future. For illustrative purposes only.

Long-term vs. short-term investments

It’s about your investment goals

Firstly, set your investment goals. Want to save for a dream wedding or a deposit on a house in 3 years? Or save up to have a family in 10 years? The longer you plan to invest for, the more risk you can take. That’s because you have more room to make riskier investments as the market has a chance to recover from any sharp falls in value.

Lastly, think about which investment types might be suitable - the table below shows some of the options for the different timeframes.

Long-term vs. short-term investments options

Investment horizon

Duration

Risk level

Investment options

Short term

3-6 months

Low

High-yield saving accounts

 

Money market accounts

 

Short-term bond mutual funds

 

Certificates of deposit

 

Government bonds

 

Money market mutual funds

Medium term

>12 months

Medium

Structured products

 

Single stocks / bonds

 

Mutual funds

Long term

Over 10 years

High

Single stocks / bonds

 

Mutual funds

Long-term vs. short-term investments options

Investment horizon

Short term

Short term

Duration

3-6 months

3-6 months

Risk level

Low

Low

Investment options

High-yield saving accounts

 

Money market accounts

 

Short-term bond mutual funds

 

Certificates of deposit

 

Government bonds

 

Money market mutual funds

High-yield saving accounts

 

Money market accounts

 

Short-term bond mutual funds

 

Certificates of deposit

 

Government bonds

 

Money market mutual funds

Investment horizon

Medium term

Medium term

Duration

>12 months

>12 months

Risk level

Medium

Medium

Investment options

Structured products

 

Single stocks / bonds

 

Mutual funds

Structured products

 

Single stocks / bonds

 

Mutual funds

Investment horizon

Long term

Long term

Duration

Over 10 years

Over 10 years

Risk level

High

High

Investment options

Single stocks / bonds

 

Mutual funds

Single stocks / bonds

 

Mutual funds

Tips for successful long-term investing

Diversify your investments

The phrase ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket’ is as true for investing as in the supermarket! Investing in a diverse mix of assets means you’re more insulated from any drops in value. Over time, a well-diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds and other assets has proved itself a winning strategy.

Reinvest your dividends

Once you’ve started making a return on your investment, it’s worth thinking about reinvesting your dividends, and harnessing the power of compound interest. All this means is earning interest on your interest. Over time, your money’s rate of growth will accelerate, so time is your ally. The longer you can leave it, the greater the effect.

Stick to your strategy (and don't panic sell)

Don't just chase that hot investment idea you’ve heard about. Always do your own analysis on a company before investing your hard-earned money. Regardless of the source, never accept a stock tip as valid. And stick to the investment horizon principles above when assessing how much risk to take. Rather than panic over short-term movements, it’s better to track your portfolio’s big-picture trajectory.

Sell a loser when necessary

It’s important to differentiate 'real losers' from 'bad performers'. Stocks that do well over time but which have had a bad week – or even a bad year – are probably worth holding onto. If a stock looks like it’s on a long-term downward trajectory, it could be time to cut your losses and move on.

Take tactical opportunities

A long term investment strategy doesn’t have to mean picking a fund and then doing nothing with it. Although ‘passive' investing can be a good strategy for many people, ‘active’ investing means taking investment opportunities and adjusting your strategy for long-term growth.

Cash is not always the king

Cash and cash equivalents (like certificates of deposits) still may act as a 'safe haven' when markets are volatile, but holding too much comes at a cost, because the saving rate is still well below the inflation rate.

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