Why do investment markets go up and down?
Markets will always rise and fall. But while changes in the value of your investments can be unsettling, it’s important to take a long-term view.
What is diversification?
Putting all your investment eggs in one basket can work when the investment is performing well, but could leave you very exposed if anything goes wrong. Diversification - spreading your money across different investments - can help you manage that risk.
Why invest for the long term?
As a rule of thumb, if you want higher returns, you should be prepared to hold onto your investments for a number of years - and expect that they may fluctuate in value a lot over time.