Tips for investing in shares yourself
The dos and don’ts
How do you go about investing in shares? Here are 5 tips to help you get started.
Investing involves risk. You could lose all or part of your investment.
Also of interest
Brush up your knowledge
If you are about to start investing, it’s a good idea to brush up your knowledge first. We’ve devised a step-by-step plan for novice investors, to help them make a good start.
Spread your risk with funds or ETFs
If investing in direct shares seems like too much hassle, investment funds or ETFs may be a better option as they let you invest in shares indirectly. There are equity funds that invest in a very broad and global range of shares. But there are also equity funds that focus on a specific sector, a specific geographical region or on a specific theme. These funds allow you to spread your risk.
Aim for the long term
Share prices can be highly volatile over the years. Highs and lows alternate in share price movements. To boost your chances of decent returns on your shares, you need to be prepared to hold your shares in your investment portfolio for a long time, perhaps by setting an investment horizon of 15 years or longer. Investing for longer means that you can absorb any fluctuations.
Invest in different sectors and geographical regions
Shares can perform very differently under the same conditions. This is often due to the sector and geographical region in which a company operates, or because performance is down across an entire sector. If you choose shares in companies from different sectors, the overall value of your share portfolio will be less likely to fall. The same goes for the countries or geographical regions where you invest: the risk is greater when you invest in shares from just one country or one geographical region.
Follow the news
Stay up to date with the news about your shares. This will help you decide whether to buy, keep or sell them.
Investing involves risks
Investing involves risks. You could lose (some of) the money you invested. If you are going to invest, it is important that you are aware of this. Invest with money you can spare. Read more about the risks associated with investments.
Do you need help?
Do you have a question?
Find the answers to frequently asked questions about investing on our service page.
