Let’s face it, you can’t avoid the headlines of the mess we’re in over the BREXIT negotiations and the impact it will have on our lives and investments. Nor the state of global stockmarkets with talk of US trade wars, fears over inflation and a host of other issues to contend with. But against this backdrop of doom and gloom, I read a reassuring article this week on Professional Adviser’s website, written by Justin Urquhart-Stewart of Seven Investment Management. It really struck a chord and, in a nutshell, extols the virtue of deciding your long-term investment strategy and sticking to it regardless of any apparent obstacles you may face. It’s a principle we fully subscribe to.
The article uses a quote attributed to King Solomon; “this too shall pass”. In essence, it suggests that however worrying the investment outlook may seem and whatever headlines are being written things will not stay the same forever. If you have a long-term investment strategy and have conviction in it, sticking to your principles despite all the ‘noise’ will often lead to a more positive outcome over the longer term. Now seems a perfect time to follow that principle; the short-term outlook is uncertain but that’s no reason at all to panic.