Endowment maturing in 1 month. Global events have ruined it.

[SpokeyDokey]

Man, that sounds really frustrating. Sort of thing that reinforces my utter distaste for any investments involving "the market" as the whole thing seems like a gamble at best, total racket at worst

It's always a gamble by it's very nature of being speculative.

I agree with the "... racket at worst" comment although these days the various market regulatory authorities are way hotter than they used to be.

Would be a great career for those capable enough.

At least since the 'online era' I have considered, several times, trying my hand at day trading.

I even looked into a couple of platforms to facilitate this. But...

... after some fairly intensive investigating I decided a) I couldn't be arsed to invest the inordinate amount of time required to research markets & companies properly, b) I, hand on heart, could not see the market 'patterns' that were oft-mentioned and c) I realised it was all too risky for a risk-adverse individual like me.

So, called it a day before I started & stuck to Cash Isa's, FRB's and some mild speculation with S&S Isa's.

I would never have 'made it' career-wise in the stock trading sector. 🤷‍♂️

 

[PaulSB]

As above I have an endowment that was on track to pay out around £25k. After checking it for the last 2 days it has gone down in value by £750 a day. £1500 in two days. I cannot tell you how badly timed my maturity date is. Even if I cash it in it takes a few days and who knows what it will be worth then.

Fuming.

If my maturity date was just a couple of months ago I'd be in gravy with it.

If it's any consolation tens of millions around the world are in a similar situation. My savings and pension will have taken a big hit, hopefully but I doubt it, no more than 10%. I won't take any action now as to do so would only worsen the problem.

Your endowment may have a link to the USD, if so the gravy you mentioned would be largely due to the surge in stock values after the US election.

 

[Jameshow]

I don't think you need to be as gloomy as you might. So long as you don't sit on the cash but invest it in shares asap say FTSE 100 and then wait until the market normalises you won't loose much.

If you put the cash in the bank you will loose.

As the market will likely recover.

Just my casual observations...

 

[Pblakeney]

As the market will likely recover.

It will.
The question is when, and from where?

 

[Dorset Boy]

Holding cash is not investing and is pretty much guaranteed to lose you money in real terms over the medium and long term.
Not a bad place to have been in the last month though.

And day trading, that is proper gambling.

 

[PaulSB]

It will.
The question is when, and from where?

Dow Jones up by 6% in last 90 minutes.

 

[fossyant]

I looked at one of my pensions and it lost 2.5% in last couple of weeks. I'm not looking again. It had been on a role. I'll let it settle.

 

[fossyant]

Most of the tariffs seem to have been paused and the markets are recovering.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

I got a guaranteed valuation on one of my pensions about 8 weeks ago and it pays out in 10 days. Thankfully it wasn’t affected by this more recent madness. The one thing it may have an effect on is what I do with the lump sum.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I looked at one of my pensions and it lost 2.5% in last couple of weeks. I'm not looking again. It had been on a role. I'll let it settle.

I know that my Stocks and shares ISAs did very well in the year to January. I suspect that has all gone now but tbh I am not going to look at them for a couple of months. Over the years I have "lost" and "won" large amounts at various stages but taking out the peaks and troughs the overall graph line still rises over time.

For worrying times nothing beats the time around 20 years ago when I invested my full iSA allowance in technology stocks only to lose around 80% of it in weeks.

 

[Pblakeney]

Dow Jones up by 6% in last 90 minutes.

Things will be different this time tomorrow. And different again on Friday and...

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I had a few endowments a long time ago
When they got close to their termination date I realised that they had dropped a lot recently

I realised that any investment based on the stock market (or similar) should never have a fixed termination date
It just doesn;t make sense

but if you have one then they may be nothing you can do

but you could try contacting the company that runs it - they may be open to an extension
maybe

 

[raleighnut]

It will.
The question is when, and from where?

The markets are back up again after the news that there is a 90 day deferment to the introduction of tarrifs.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I had a few endowments a long time ago
When they got close to their termination date I realised that they had dropped a lot recently

I realised that any investment based on the stock market (or similar) should never have a fixed termination date
It just doesn;t make sense

but if you have one then they may be nothing you can do

but you could try contacting the company that runs it - they may be open to an extension
maybe

Of you want to keep it in equities, just spend the cash buying them

 

[biggs682]

Invest it all in bikes