What to do when investing in volatile markets

volatile markets

The majority of investors are cognizant that the market goes through bulls and downturns. So, what transpires when the market is volatile?

To make it clear from the beginning, financial market volatility is the measurement of the size and speed of an asset’s price movements. Volatility exists in any asset whose market price fluctuates over time. The broader and more regular these swings are, the higher the volatility, and making a terrible move might wipe out earlier profits and much more.

When investing in turbulent markets, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Diversify

Volatile markets might expose that investments believed to be properly diversified, in fact, are not. If you haven’t recently reviewed your portfolios to ensure that you understand how each asset class is performing and that the mix fits your investing strategy, now would be an excellent time to do so.

Rebalance

Assets that have appreciated in value will make up more of your portfolio over time, while those that have decreased will make up less. Rebalancing entails selling positions that have become overweight in comparison to the rest of your portfolio and reinvesting the profits in underweight ones. It’s a sensible move to repeat this process frequently.

Go for long-term
aiming long-term

Image Credits: towardsdatascience.com

Markets fluctuate, and you’re bound to see multiple major drops throughout your investment journey. When compared to bull markets, even instances when the market plunged by more than 20% have traditionally been quite brief. Because it’s impractical to time the market’s ebbs and flows, all investors should tune out the buzz and fixate on their long-term goals.

Stay the course

If you’re retired or on the verge of retiring, your stance on investing in a volatile market can be a little different. Rather than attempting to chase high gains in the short term, your priority should be on safeguarding the assets you’ve amassed via long-term investment. To keep on track, create a retirement investing framework before you bid goodbye to your monthly paychecks, so you won’t make rash judgments about your assets during market downturns.

Keep day trading at bay

When you day trade, you purchase and sell investments quickly in the hopes of profiting from small price variations. While this may appear to be a simple, low-risk approach to making money, it is complicated and time-consuming. Day traders must build a system to track stocks, keep a constant eye on the markets, and have an uncanny ability to determine when the optimum moment to buy or sell is, which may feel like a full-time job. Day trading can potentially result in significant losses if you aren’t 100% sure what you’re doing.

When stock markets begin to plummet, daily doses of negative updates may seem inescapable. Even the savviest investors might worry, doubt, and make drastic judgments as a result of it. Panic, on the other hand, brings you nowhere. When markets get stormy, it’s critical to stay calm. Don’t be hesitant to speak with a financial professional if you’re concerned about market fluctuations. They can provide expert guidance, review your financial strategy, and assist you in determining the best actions to take.

Read More...

Here’s a glance at Singapore’s new private home sales for Q1 2022

Belgravia Ace

Watching the property market, especially for new private home sales this year? Before we take a glance at 2022, allow us to refresh your memory on December 2021’s stats:

In the wake of new cooling measures and the regular year-end slump, new private property sales in Singapore plunged 58% in December 2021 compared to November that same year. Overall sales, nonetheless, recorded an eight-year high in 2021. Experts believed that purchasers who were not subjected to the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) scheme will boost demand this year. These are first-time purchasers or people who have sold or plan to sell their current residential property to purchase another.

Fast forward to 2022, here’s a glance at Singapore’s new private home sales for Q1 2022.

January: Rose by 3.5%

In January, new private house sales in Singapore increased by 3.5%, following a significant drop in December 2021. Ikigai and Belgravia Ace were the only two launches in January, and the latter strata-landed development sold 77 apartments at an average caveated amount of S$4.4 million.

The majority of the customers, according to a Huttons Asia official, were first-time buyers who were unfazed by the cooling measures. He went on to say that the purchasers’ capacity to spend more than a million for the downpayment and stamp duties indicated either adequate cash flow or a hereditary transfer of wealth.

February: Fell by 22.5%
Royal Hallmark

Image Credits: royalhallmark.com

Sales of new private residences decreased 22.5% in February, owing to a combination of cooling measures and global uncertainty related to the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Other barriers might include increased loan rates, property tax increases in 2023, and fewer housing alternatives as a result of this year’s lower lineup of project debuts.

The single February launch, Royal Hallmark, fared quite well though, selling about one-third of its units despite cooling measures and some uncertainty brought on by the Ukraine conflict. The percentage of transactions worth more than S$2 million also remained unchanged. In other words, affordability remained steady, owing to the market’s substantial liquidity.

March: Rebounded by 20.7%

According to recent reports, new private house sales increased by 20.7% in March, following a significant drop in February. Last month, the private housing markets showed signs of improvement, with developers selling more properties. This might be a response to the relaxation of safe management requirements, allowing more people to view show flats. As a consequence of the greater visitor traffic, the number of deals closed increased.

According to an OrangeTee & Tie spokesperson, there were no big project launches above 200 units in March, and existing projects continued to reduce their unsold inventory as buyers returned to the market. The US interest rate rises, on the other hand, may raise mortgage rates and encourage more purchasers to re-enter the market. Some on-the-fence purchasers are likely to lock in house loans before interest rates rise too much since a sharp increase in the cost of borrowing might push some upgraders out of the sector.

Read More...

Students in Singapore to go Cashless by 2025

With a handful of coins in your pocket, you are wondering what unnecessary item you can splurge on in the school bookshop. Good times, right?

Singaporean students in the near future will no longer experience the same thing as they will be using the cashless method soon. By 2025, most of the students in Singapore have the option of using e-payment for purchases made in school bookshops and canteens. Instead of giving pocket money, students will be given cards or smartwatches to buy their needs.

The Singaporean Ministry of Education recently signed a memorandum of understanding with DBS to expand the POSB Smart Buddy program across all primary and secondary schools in Singapore. Junior colleges and Millennia Institute are also included.

Clarence Tang, MOE’s Divisional Director of Finance and Procurement Division said:

“Having a cashless option in schools will provide students with an environment to use e-payment safely while enjoying the convenience and benefits of going cashless, such as faster transactions when making purchases.”

Mr. Tang highlighted that the program is aimed at providing a safe environment for students. So, expect to see tap-and-pay terminals around the campus in the next few years.

POSB SMART BUDDY PROGRAMME

Image Credits: www.thewackyduo.com

 

Introduced in 2017, the POSB Smart Buddy programme is the world’s first integrated in-school wearable digital savings and payment method.

Digital payment infrastructure or tap-and-pay terminals will be installed in schools. It can accept payments made through POSB Smart Buddy smartwatches or cards, School Smart cards, and EZ-Link cards.

This initiative will allow both students and parents to track the spending and saving patterns through a mobile app. Students can use the app to set saving goals, while parents can set daily allowance limits and view their child’s purchases in real-time. This way, their child can avoid overspending.

Students will be able to track their financial patterns and learn how to save.

Sources: 1 & 2

Read More...

Surefire Ways to Make Your Money Work for You

Money is a strong tool that can help you achieve your goals. It can provide stability for your family and allow you to save towards important milestones. To achieve these things, you must know how to make your money work for you.

Making money work for you pertains to using money to make more of it. Your financial decisions can guide you through this. Start by learning how to budget!

#1: LEARN TO BUDGET

Change the way you handle money by budgeting. When you are budgeting, you become more purposeful about where you spend your money on. You are making money do what you desire, rather than spending it without a plan.

Budgeting includes prioritizing your spending, avoiding new debt, paying off debt, identifying harmful financial habits, reducing your spending, and saving for the future. You may need to adjust your budget from time to time.

#2: ELIMINATE DEBT

Debt means your money is not working for you. Your money is going towards paying the interest. Debt creates limitations and financial burdens.

Paying off debt allows you to redirect your funds towards things that are important to you. For instance, you can save up for graduate studies or create your retirement fund. You can begin investing money and allow your wealth to grow.

#3: SAVE AND INVEST

Once you have freed yourself from debt and have extra cash, you can put your money to work by saving and investing. The amount that you will save will depend on your lifestyle, age, and goals.

In addition to having an emergency fund, you will also need to have a retirement fund. You should also consider having the following:

a. education savings
b. travel fund
c. down payment for a house
d. business capital
e. car fund
f. long-term savings for you and your dependents

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Lastly, investing in yourself is one of the best investments you can make. While you might not be able to pinpoint an actualized return on investment, you will eventually see the results in time.

Source: 1

Read More...

10 Steps To Reach Financial Wellness

Financial wellness refers to effectively managing your economic life. This concept surrounds many factors such as spending within one’s means, being financially prepared for emergencies, having a concrete plan, and having access to tools necessary to make good money decisions.

Financial security is the underlying concept of financial wellness. To help you reach financial wellness, you may start by following these steps.

STEP 1: COMMIT TO CHANGE

The first step in developing a financial plan is to determine your attitudes and beliefs about money. Be honest with yourself. Are you ready to accept the responsibility of improving your financial situation? Do you believe that you can change the way you behave towards money?

STEP 2: EXAMINE YOUR FINANCES

Examine your finances by looking at your previous statements and tracking your spending. This will give you an overview of how you are doing financially. Identify your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to managing your money. Write down your findings and feelings.

STEP 3: SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

Choose a trusted person to conduct the day-to-day financial tasks to stay on top of things. The appointed person must be a good communicator and an organized individual. Give him or her uninterrupted time to do financial tasks effectively.

STEP 4: GET COPIES OF YOUR CREDIT REPORTS

A credit report is a compilation of your credit payment history collected across all your banks. It includes valuable information such as basic personal profile, closed credit accounts, aggregated credit limits, and aggregated outstanding balances. Credit reports provide a snapshot of your overall situation.

For licensed moneylenders, the Moneylenders Credit Bureau is the central repository of data on borrowers’ loans and repayment records. For banks and finance companies, only two credit bureaus are allowed to obtain such information in Singapore. These are Credit Bureau Singapore and Experian Credit Bureau Singapore.

Credit reports are issued by a credit bureau to banks and finance companies when they make inquiries about the client. These companies assess your creditworthiness by looking at the credit score. You can also request a copy of your report from the bureaus. Reviewing your credit reports can help you identify errors or fraudulent activities.

STEP 5: KNOW YOUR STARTING POINT

Know your starting point by calculating your net worth. Compare what you owe (liabilities) with what you own (assets). Do seek professional help when necessary.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

STEP 6: IDENTIFY YOUR INCOME

To have an accurate picture of what you can earn in the future, you can observe your previous income. Decide whether you are going to expand your income by using different streams or if you are going to stick with your current income source.

STEP 7: REVIEW YOUR DEBTS

Freedom from debt is an achievable goal. The first step to regaining control is to take a transparent look at your existing obligations. Regardless of which financial method you use, be patient and persistent when paying your debts.

STEP 8: SET YOUR PRIORITIES

Create a list of your needs and wants to help you establish your financial priorities. Financial priorities may include saving three months’ worth of expenses or saving S$3,000 for a year to fund your family vacation.

STEP 9: HAVE SMART FINANCIAL GOALS

By setting your financial goals, you are providing yourself with something to aim for. Simply remember that financial goals need to be SMART.

S – pecific
M – easurable
A – chievable
R – ealistic
T – imely

STEP 10: SECURE YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE

Look at your retirement plan and make some necessary changes. Do not despair if you are behind on your retirement goals. You are not alone! Studies show that many households are not prepared for retirement. Fortunately for you, you can improve your situation.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Start now!

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Read More...