Stocks & Shares.....what do you recommend?

[maryjanell79]

Hey Everyone,

I have come into a sum of money and looking to invest it in a portfolio....does anyone have any insight and can recommend some funds?

I am looking to build a low risk portfolio.

Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks :o

Do you have any debts?

If so, pay those off first. It is not sensible to pay interest on a loan/debt while investing to generate income that will be taxed.

If you have no debt, then put the equivalent of 6 months post tax income aside in a safe interest paying investment in National Savings for an emegency reserve.

If you have anything left after that then decide how much you are prepared to lose and invest that much in a low cost Stocks & Shares ISA/PEP invested in the FTSE 100 index.

If you have anything left after that you should invest that in a low risk investment where the liklihood of loss is very low.

If you want low-risk take advantage of tax-free options first like ISAs. Next I'd look at long-term bonds offering better rates. Then managed funds with reputable organisations and words like 'recovery' and 'optimal income' in the title, or some kind of FTSE tracker. Those would be a 5 - 10 year investment. 'Can go down as well as up' etc. Finally, I would have something a little more high risk in the mix to offset the very safe savings element. Cash deposit returns are being wiped out by inflation at the moment and without a little risk, you could end up losing out.

Worth talking to an independent financial advisor.

maryjanell... are you looking at investing in individual stocks? which sector? I would advise much caution at the moment. The stock market has taken a might battering of late, and no sign of it levelling out or going back up. It is very bearish.

I hold many individual stocks... but right now I would not advise what you should invest in, because it is so dangerous. There are some Facebook share groups you could join, I'll find out the links for you.

HTH

try this, you need to request to join...

www.facebook.com/groups/215468825206658/

and you could try reading the message boards on some of the BB financial boards...

www.III.co.uk

www.lse.co.uk

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