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Get time on your side.

Investing while you’re still young is a winning strategy, even if you don’t have a lot of money.

Let’s see what happens to two investors.

a. Investor A: He invests $3,000 per year from ages 30 to 39, for a total of $30,000.

b. Investor B: He also invests $3,000 per year for 20 years, from ages 41 to 60, for a total of $60,000.

With half as much capital, Investor A still ends up with the same value when he’s 60!

It’s normal to feel nervous when the markets fluctuate, but your emotions can lead you to make bad decisions. Learning to manage them will help you reach your goals.

Below are the most common behaviours we see in investors when it comes to the stock market.

What is a stock market investment? It’s an investment in the shares or stock of a company listed on a stock exchange. You might also see this kind of investment referred to as an “equity” or “growth” investment. They have a long-term growth objective and represent a higher risk than fixed-income investments (like bonds) or cash investments (like Treasury bills).

Investor emotions and the stock markets

The best returns are often achieved after a stock market correction.* Not staying invested during that time can significantly affect your investments’ long-term performance. Don’t miss out on the potential of the best days!

There’s no way to predict stock market performance. That’s why it pays to invest regularly. Take advantage of market lows and avoid buying only when things are rosy and prices are high. The objective of a periodic investment program is to get the best average cost per share possible and capitalize on market opportunities.

The same securities rarely produce stellar performances year after year. That’s why it’s important to diversify. Portfolios that incorporate different economic sectors, countries, management styles and asset classes have a higher return potential and a lower risk of being significantly affected by volatility.

Stick to your long-term investment strategy. This gives you a better chance of achieving positive returns in times of volatility. The markets have always had ups and downs but over time, they’ve generally gone up. So just sit back and let time do its job!

When you work with a professional, you have access to an experienced, objective advisor who understands your financial situation. A study from The Investment Funds Institute of Canada (PDF, 547 KB) External link. Opens in a new window. confirms that people who use the services of a financial advisor are in better shape financially.

According to this study, here are the advantages of getting professional advice:

It makes sense to ask a few questions before entrusting your investments to any institution, large or small. The financial scandals of recent years have made many investors more cautious. Choosing a financial institution is not a decision you should make lightly.

Desjardins Group is the leading cooperative financial group in Canada and the sixth largest cooperative financial group in the world, with assets of close to $275.1 billion¹. It has been rated one of the Best Employers in Canada by Aon Hewitt. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of personal and products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms and subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world’s strongest banks by The Banker magazine, Desjardins has some of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry.

• Moody’s Aa2
• Standard & Poor’s A+
• Dominion Bond Rating Service AA
• Fitch AA-

1. As at December 31, 2017

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Easy to use, these tools will help you see how much money you’ll have later on.

• Making retirement planning simple with the new Desjardins retirement calculator
• How much will your regular instalment investments be worth?
• Calculate the transfer amount you need to reach your goal