When Investing – “Time in the market” is the key, not “timing the market.”

Stock markets globally have dropped up to 20% or more during 2022. Volatility remains high, and there is uncertainty about where markets are headed.

However, is this unusual? We asked one of Australia’s leading AI-Drive Investment Firm, Sixpark.

“It is incredibly challenging to time the market consistently – to buy when prices are low and to sell when prices are high,” Sixpark said.

In the past, steep market declines were typically followed by swift recoveries. Recent examples of this:
At the onset of the COVID pandemic in early 2020, markets fell steeply but recovered quickly.
In the first half of 2022, markets fell significantly but recovered during July and most of August. They fell again in September.

Also, the best and worst trading days tend to cluster in brief and difficult-to-predict periods. So although it is tempting to trade in and out of the market during market volatility, doing so also increases the risk of missing some of the best days in the market.

Cost of Trading Out Admist of Market Volatility

If the past few months have shaken your confidence in staying invested, remember there is a potential cost of getting out of the market.

In the past 20 years alone, the S&P 500 annualised return has been 9.7%, but missing just 10 of the market’s best days, which tend to occur within less than one month of the ten worst days, would have reduced that annualised return to 5.5%. (Source: Big market swings are tough, but staying invested is crucial)

Focus on ‘Time’, not ‘Timing’

Ultimately, the biggest challenge in trying to time the market is being correct not just once but twice.

There is only a narrow window of opportunity for optimising both of these timings. History shows that most investors are unlikely to get these moves right.

While no strategy can guarantee a profit or protect against losses, history suggests that what matters most for building wealth in the long term is your time in the markets, not timing the markets.

What if I Still Have Questions About How Should I Invest?

If you are yet a client of ours, we encourage you to request a no-obligation, initial online consultation with one of our financial advisers by emailing us at info@thehopkinsgroup.com.au or visiting the page www.thehopkinsgroup.com.au/contact/#message.

If you are a client of ours already, we encourage you to book a meeting with your account adviser, and they will be more than happy to help and answer any questions you may have!