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Investment guide

When is a good time to invest?

The value of investments can fall as well as rise, and you may not get back the full amount you invest. Eligibility criteria, fees and charges apply.

Is now a good time to invest?

Right now nothing is certain, but uncertainty is no reason to put your future plans on hold. 

Any investment should be looked at as a medium to longer-term goal (five years or more). The sooner you start investing, the sooner your money could be working for you.

How to start investing

Some people try to ‘time the market’ – they watch how share prices are moving to find the perfect time to invest. We believe good investing is about “time in the market”, rather than “timing the market”.

Read the investment information below to help you get started and make investing part of your financial planning.

In this article we’ll explain a few investment truths, in terms that should make sense to everyone.

Opportunities

Seize the opportunities

By trying to time the market you can miss possible opportunities.

The right option

Is investing the right option for you?

When it comes to the potential for investment growth, timing is less of an issue than not being invested at all.

Financial planning

Investing should be part of your financial planning

Investing shouldn’t just be seen as a shortcut to the potential for higher returns.

Key takeaways

  • Make sure you can afford to invest for the long term, before you invest. 
  • Make sure you’re aware of the potential highs and lows of markets, any time could be a good time to invest. 
  • It's better to consider when investing might serve your wider financial planning needs. 
  • Have patience with your investments and give them time to bear fruit.

Get started with Royal Bank Invest

You’ll need to be a Royal Bank customer with Digital Banking, aged 18 – 84 and a UK residence for tax purposes. 

Click “Continue” to log into the Royal Bank Invest portal.

Learn more about investments

Whether you’re an experienced investor or just finding out what investing is, we’ve got a range of articles to help you understand more about investing.

We regularly update our articles depending on what’s happening in the market so check back for future updates.