Investing can be tricky - but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve compiled a list of our favourite top tips that can help investors of any experience level up.

1. Stay with it for the long term: The power of compound interest can mean that the earlier you start investing, the more time your money has to grow. For example, if you invest $5,000 at age 25 and earn an average annual return of 7%, by the time you reach age 65, your investment could be worth $63,357. If you wait until age 35 to make the same investment, it may only be worth $38,931 by age 65.*
   

2. Diversify your holdings: Diversifying your portfolio can help spread risk and possibly increase the chances of earning a return on your investment. According to a study by Morningstar, a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and cash had a median annual return of 8.5% between 1926 and 2015, while a portfolio invested solely in stocks had a median return of 10.2%.1

3. Take the easy road with ETFs: ETFs can be a simple and cost-effective way to invest in a diversified portfolio of stocks or bonds. According to a report by the Investment Company Institute, ETFs assets under management reached $6.9 trillion in 2020, showing a significant growth in popularity among investors.2

4. Don’t time the market: Trying to predict market movements is difficult and can lead to emotion based investment decisions. Instead, try to focus on long-term goals and invest regularly. According to experts from J.P Morgan, data from 1930 to today showed that if an investor missed the S&P 500′s 10 best days each decade, the total return would stand at 28%. If, on the other hand, the investor held steady through the ups and downs, the return would theoretically have been 17,715%.3

5. Find the time to increase your knowledge: Investing can be complex, so it's essential to educate yourself about the different types of investments available and how they work. This will help you make more informed investment decisions.

*All figures and numbers are purely for marketing purposes and are not indicative of realistic assured performance. Always seek professional guidance.

1. Morningstar, 2018. https://advisor.mp.morningstar.com/resourceDownload?type=publicForms&id=3f9dff3c-f085-47a1-98ba-0bc008df9f25

2. Investment Company Institute (ICI), 2021 https://www.ici.org/system/files/2021-05/2021_factbook.pdf

3. CNBC & J.P. Morgan, 2021 https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/24/this-chart-shows-why-investors-should-never-try-to-time-the-stock-market.html