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

[twentysix by twentyfive]

but taking out the peaks and troughs the overall graph line still rises over time.

Does it beat inflation over the same period? I think the received wisdom is that it does but I've never checked it out.....

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

I’ve dabbled with buying and selling shares over the years but stopped when BoS costs for doing so shot up. I wasn’t dealing often enough to make it worthwhile.

I’d normally buy and then monitor the market and sell for what I thought may be close to a 6 month high. Rarely kept shares longer than 6 months. Best over that period was a 350% increase, worst was only 25%.

Never made a loss so consider myself lucky.

 

[All uphill]

Part of my Accountancy Exams went into studying the stock market. The outcome of many weeks study - it was a gamble. It's just luck.

Hopefully OP's endowment will recover a bit and he can get it 'out' before more information is available in the next 90 days - FTSE100 rallied this morning.

It's a gamble with one big difference from the bookies or casino.

The bookies always have a small overall edge over their customers. On average the punters lose.

With stockmarkets there is a small edge for shareholders on average.

I've never been in a bookies and I've never 'played' the markets but I have done OK with long term investments on average.

 

[Dorset Boy]

The proof is in the pudding as they say....
Comparative returns from different asset classes since 2016

Everything bar developing market government debt has beaten cash in the period. Which is exactly what should happen in a capitalist world.

 

[Chislenko]

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.

I had the same with my pension annuity, matured just as COVID and lockdown struck. I sympathise.

 

[DaveReading]

With stockmarkets there is a small edge for shareholders on average.

The key, of course, being to know when to buy and when to sell.

 

[Salty seadog]

....and low an behold it will have recovered most of it loss by the end of today...

That's what I expected but it dropped another £450.

 

[All uphill]

The key, of course, being to know when to buy and when to sell.

Or just to stay in the market long enough.

 

[Mike Ayling]

I’ve dabbled with buying and selling shares over the years but stopped when BoS costs for doing so shot up. I wasn’t dealing often enough to make it worthwhile.

I’d normally buy and then monitor the market and sell for what I thought may be close to a 6 month high. Rarely kept shares longer than 6 months. Best over that period was a 350% increase, worst was only 25%.

Never made a loss so consider myself lucky.

Presumably you paid tax on your profits?

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

Presumably you paid tax on your profits?

Yes, was doing self assessment back then for another reason and my accountant handled it.

 

[Dorset Boy]

Or just to stay in the market long enough.

All the research shows that time not timing wins out over the long term, especially as it is almost impossible to time the markets, particularly if investing in collectives.

 

[Dave7]

All the research shows that time not timing wins out over the long term, especially as it is almost impossible to time the markets, particularly if investing in collectives.

When I invested my money my FA told me it has to be for a minimum 5 years to be "reasonably" sure of a good return.
I followed his advice and it worked out well for me.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

All the research shows that time not timing wins out over the long term, especially as it is almost impossible to time the markets, particularly if investing in collectives.

Absolutely you can't guess the peak, or the trough. However much people think they can.

Though paying in or taking out a bit at a time rather than as a lump spreads the risk so reduces the likelihood of either exceptionally poor or exceptionally good returns.

 

[Ian H]

I stuck half my annual allowance in a managed S&S ISA a couple of days ago. Just caught the bottom of the market (so far). That's as much excitement as I can cope with.

 

[yello]

My personal pension has dropped near 7% of late. Fortunately, I don't need it so it can just sit there and hopefully recover. Swings and roundabouts as said, it's earned at an average of around 5% over that last 20 years so I'm not complaining.

Of as much concern to me at the moment is the exchange rate to Euros as my pensions are in sterling.