The leading FTSE 100 index has had a volatile year, reaching record highs of over 7,100 in April, coming down from those highs to fall below 6,000 in September, before a brief rally saw the index recover to just over 6,400 in recent weeks.
So does the recent volatility represent an opportunity, or a threat?
Cambrian’s view is that market volatility can be mitigated (not eliminated) by investing in a diversified portfolio of assets with imperfectly correlated returns.
It is the nature of the markets to fluctuate over the short-term so only a fully diversified portfolio investing in asset classes such as cash, equities, bonds and property can smooth this volatility. Trying to time the market over the short-term is impossible and ill-advised. Investing in financial markets should be considered over the medium to long term only and with generous amounts of financial advice along the way.
During volatile times, investors can become concerned and begin to question their investments. This is the time to speak to your financial adviser who can discuss your attitude to risk going forward and re-evaluate if the asset classes you are invested in are still suitable for your tolerance to risk.
At Cambrian we design our Portfolios for the long term growth of your money or if you are an income investor, you can invest in one of our specially constructed income portfolios. By taking a long-term view and investing in a well-balanced and diversified portfolio, the fluctuations of the stock markets can be reduced. Each portfolio is designed with your attitude to risk in mind, balanced with the returns you hope to achieve and your time horizon.
Cambrian Risk Factor 5 Strategy, i.e. a balanced portfolio using our in-house sheltering Strategy since 1st January 2008 has achieved 89.07% returns, compared with the FTSE 100 which over the same period has only achieved 31.78% (Source: FE Analytics 21/10/2015).*
This demonstrates that a balanced portfolio using a range of asset classes has a proven track record of generating far superior returns rather than simply investing in UK Equities alone (one asset class).
To speak to a financial adviser at Cambrian, please call 01244 539595.
The value of your investments can go down as well as up, so you could get back less than you invested. Past performance should not be considered as a guide to future performance.
* Figures are net of total expenses but do not include the effect of any initial or ongoing adviser charges.
