Investing requires discipline, wisdom and clarity. Image from Freepik.
It has been more than a year since COVID-19 first plagued the world and today, even with vaccines being successfully developed, there is no denying that the domino effect of COVID-19 will continue to impact the economy and affect the active incomes of many of us.
This uncertain economic situation has somehow prompted more people to realise the importance of generating a passive income through investing.
However, there are many people who have yet to establish a firm grasp on investment and are therefore understandably reluctant to take the first step in investing.
Those who are unfamiliar with investing will instead prefer to park their money in conservative fixed deposits, which do not yield the potentially better returns you could obtain from portfolio investments and diversification.
Investment tip #1: Gain knowledge & understanding
One of the many ways to build confidence in investing is to consistently learn and understand the subject matter, the market and importantly, yourself as an investor.
“I believe the first step in starting to invest is to understand your financial goals, ” said Yu Junqiang, Hong Leong Asset Management Berhad’s Fund Manager.
“The expected return should be at a reasonable rate that commensurate with the level of risk an investor is willing to take.”
Hong Leong Asset Management’s Yu commented that knowing your risk and reward level will put you in a better position to select the correct investment products to help achieve your financial goals.
We must always bear in mind that high returns come with high risk, so don’t be lured by claims of high returns offered by some investment schemes, which are most probably fictitious or too good to be true.”
An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest – Ben Franklin
Investment tip #2: Seek professional advice & guidance
He advises those starting out that “a relatively safe investment for a beginner investor would be investing in unit trust. Equally important is to invest in a unit trust fund that matches your investment goal, and is offered by a trusted provider.”
Keeping that in mind, Hong Leong Asset Management (“Hong Leong AM”) – which is ranked no. 6 amongst the unit trust management companies in Malaysia¹, is a worthy consideration for investors.
Having more than 25 years of experience in the industry, and the honour of receiving 12 Lipper Fund Awards in 2020², Hong Leong AM is a unit trust management company that displays strong investment capabilities and expertise in managing local and foreign equities, as well as local fixed income.
For new investors, investing in unit trusts may be a wise decision as your investment portfolios will be professionally managed by fund managers.
Investment tip #3: Diversification
When it comes to making the most of your investment, Yu advises: “Diversification is the key to reduce the risk associated with your investment portfolio.” The saying ‘Do not put all your eggs in one basket’ is absolutely true.
“A diversified portfolio provides a stable return in the longer term and is less susceptible to huge movements in the markets.
Besides that, staying disciplined when investing is important, such as knowing when to take profit and when to cut losses to prevent further losses in the future.”
Yu says that most unit trust funds are diversified portfolios, whereby overall risks are reduced and have a better chance to achieve your investment goal.
“Do your research, study and understand the investment products you are investing in, be it stocks or unit trust funds” - Hong Leong Asset Management’s Yu Junqiang. Image from Freepik.
For those still hesitant to invest in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yu advises: “The whole world is struggling with the impact of COVID-19. Global lockdowns have caused substantial disruptions to many businesses and individuals.
”Investment tip #4: Identify resilient businesses
“Focus on companies that are more resilient and have low gearing ratios as these companies would be more sustainable in this economic climate.
We foresee economic recovery may not happen so soon. It's important to position investments in the right companies during this challenging period to achieve better performance when the economy recovers.”
Investment tip #5: Build a comfortable portfolio and stay invested
It is difficult to time or predict the market accurately. Hence, it is recommended for investors to build a comfortable portfolio that will allow one to remain invested without the worries of being affected by unexpected market conditions.
On the other hand, investors should also be aware that inflation will erode the asset’s value over time so capital preservation is essential to protect the value of the asset.
Investors should stay clear minded and take their time to research and identify investment portfolios that meet their risk appetite and investment objectives.
One of the ways to select a suitable fund is to look into the fund’s historical performance. For example, take a look at the table below which illustrates the fund performance of five (5) of Hong Leong AM’s award-winning unit trust funds:
No shortcuts in investments
When it comes to managing your investments and making the best possible decision, Yu says there are no shortcuts.
“Of course, time is the main constraint for people doing their own research before investing. There is a lot of information that can be found from the Internet and this, of course, takes time.”
Making an investment decision is not one to be taken lightly. It is advisable for investors to take their time to study the market and put in the effort to learn about investing.
Along with consultation from professional advisers from a reputable unit trust management firm, beginning your investment journey on the right foundation will keep you on track towards your desired financial goals.
Begin your investment journey with Hong Leong AM’s HL iSmart Invest, where investors can access their investment account and perform transactions on Hong Leong AM’s unit trust funds entirely online. Click here to know more.
Apart from HL iSmart Invest, you can consider investing in Hong Leong AM’s unit trust funds by:
-
Visiting Hong Leong Bank branches or Hong Leong Bank Priority Banking Centres.
-
Visiting the Hong Leong Asset Management office.
Pursuant to the Movement Control Order (MCO), in an effort to keep customers, employees and the surrounding communities safe, it is highly recommend for customers to get in contact for further information.
For more details visit www.hlam.com.my, call 03-2081 8600 or email inquiry@hlam.hongleong.com.my
Notes:
¹Ranked No.6 according to source: Lipper, as at 31 December 2020 based on unit trust and wholesale funds registered in Lipper.
²2020 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards – Malaysia:
- HONG LEONG ASSET MANAGEMENT BHD (Best Equity Award – Malaysia Provident)
- Hong Leong Dividend Fund (Equity Malaysia Income – Malaysia Provident, 3 Years & 5 Years)
- Hong Leong Growth Fund (Equity Malaysia Diversified – Malaysia Provident, 3 Years & 5 Years)
- Hong Leong Penny Stock Fund (Equity Malaysia – Malaysia Provident, 5 Years & 10 Years)
- Hong Leong Asia-Pacific Dividend Fund (Equity Asia Pacific ex Japan – Malaysia, 3 Years)
- Hong Leong Dana Makmur (Equity Malaysia – Malaysia Islamic, 3 Years & 5 Years)
2020 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards – Global Islamic:
- Hong Leong Dana Makmur (Equity Malaysia – Global Islamic, 3 Years & 5 Years)
Image Sources:
-
https://www.freepik.com/photos/business. Business photo created by pressfoto - www.freepik.com
-
https://www.freepik.com/photos/sale. Sale photo created by pressfoto - www.freepik.com
Disclaimer:
-
Before investing, investors are advised to read and understand the contents of the following: Hong Leong Master Prospectus dated 23 August 2019, its First, Second and Third Supplementary Master Prospectus dated 18 November 2019,27 March 2020 and 31 December 2020 respectively (collectively known as the “HLAM Prospectus”) and the Product Highlight Sheet (“PHS”).
-
This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Securities Commission Malaysia.
-
Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards, 2020 Refinitiv. All rights reserved. Used under license.
