Before You Invest

Risk and Investment Objectives

Before deciding whether to invest in the stockmarket you should take into account your savings, including pension arrangements, other short and long-term savings schemes, life assurance and protection policies, as well as your levels of indebtedness. You should be prepared to invest your funds for a minimum of five years and preferably longer. Investors should be aware that past performance is not necessarily a guide to the future. The value of your capital will fluctuate and may fall as well as rise and you may not get back your original capital investment.

Should you need to withdraw invested funds quickly, this also may adversely affect the amount you receive. If, having considered the above, you have made the decision to invest in the stockmarket, you should then decide the level of funds you wish to invest and your investment strategy. All investment decisions involve a degree of risk, and it is important to establish from the outset the degree of risk that is acceptable to you and decide on your investment objectives.

For advisory and discretionary clients this should be achieved through discussion with your Charles Stanley representative. You should also be aware that, as political conditions and the economic cycle differ, the risk inherent in one type of investment or market may change. Indeed, no investment should be regarded as free of risk.