Investing in a portfolio often triggers the urge to constantly monitor its progress, hoping to see the desired returns. However, it might be more prudent to resist this urge and instead review your portfolio only once or twice a year. There are number of reasons why this is the case, some of which we outline below.
Increased Emotional Reactivity
Frequent monitoring can lead to emotional reactions to short-term market fluctuations. This emotional response may prompt impulsive decisions that could harm your long-term investment strategy.
Loss Aversion
Investors tend to experience the pain of losses more acutely than the joy of gains. Checking your portfolio too often could magnify the impact of small losses, potentially leading to hasty decisions to sell investments that might have recovered given more time.
Overtrading and Transaction Costs
Excessive monitoring may tempt you to make unnecessary adjustments to your portfolio, leading to increased transaction costs. These costs can eat into your overall returns and potentially outweigh any benefits gained from frequent adjustments.
Risk of Market Timing
Constantly checking your portfolio might lead to attempts to time the market, which is notoriously difficult to do successfully. Trying to predict market movements can lead to missed investment opportunities and suboptimal returns.
Lack of Long-Term Perspective
The daily fluctuations in the market do not necessarily reflect the long-term performance of your investments. Focusing too much on short-term changes can obscure the overall upward trend of the market over more extended periods.
Stress and Anxiety
Regularly monitoring your investments can lead to increased stress and anxiety, especially during periods of market volatility. This can have a negative impact on your overall well-being and decision-making process.
Ultimately, successful investing often involves a long-term approach that prioritises a well-thought-out strategy rather than overreacting to short-term market movements. It’s crucial to maintain a balanced perspective and avoid making impulsive decisions based on short-term fluctuations.
Therefore, the best advice concerning your portfolio is to initially invest in a diversified portfolio aligned with your risk tolerance level. Subsequently, monitor your investments every few months, conducting a comprehensive review annually, including a consultation with our licensed Financial Advisors. In the interim, unless you intend to augment or liquidate your investment, it is advisable to refrain from altering your portfolio.
The information given in this article is for general information purposes only and is neither intended to provide legal or other professional advice nor does it commit MeDirect Bank (Malta) plc to any obligation whatsoever. The information given is not intended to be a suggestion, recommendation, or solicitation to buy, hold or sell, any securities and is not guaranteed as to accuracy or completeness. If you invest in any product, you may lose some or all of the money you invest. The value of your investment may go down as well as up. Any income you get from any investment may go down as well as up. MeDirect Bank (Malta) plc, registered under company number C34125, is licensed by the Malta Financial Services Authority to conduct investment services under the Maltese Investment Services Act (Cap. 370).
