Would it be wise to invest in stocks & shares in 6 weeks?

bp5678

In approx 6 weeks I'd like to hope the situation with the Coronavirus wouldn't be getting any worse. It may be at its peak and hopefully from then onwards the situation will be improving and therefore the stock exchange should improve. Therefore I'd be buying at a low price and the stocks will rise nicely after. I'm new to investing. Would this be wise? Any tips or advice?

eskbanker

Everyone wants to buy at the bottom!

Nobody has enough knowledge to do so in any sort of reliable or predictable way....

AlanP_2

bp5678 said:

In approx 6 weeks I'd like to hope the situation with the Coronavirus wouldn't be getting any worse. It may be at its peak and hopefully from then onwards the situation will be improving and therefore the stock exchange should improve. Therefore I'd be buying at a low price and the stocks will rise nicely after. I'm new to investing. Would this be wise? Any tips or advice?

More like 6 months time with a lot of luck going the way of the human race.

Voyager2002

I delayed selling because I was sure we were at the bottom. I lost my shirt.
If you have money that you could afford to lose and will not need for the next few years then the stock market is a suitable home for it: just avoid investing in companies that might fail completely over the next few months (so trackers might not be such a good idea at the moment).You could invest tomorrow; in six weeks; in six months... no-one really knows when.
Personally I shall be buying this week: but only companies in China!

Thrugelmir

Better to ask the question in 6 weeks time. Much is going to happen in the intervening period. 

lopsyfa

bp5678 said:

In approx 6 weeks I'd like to hope the situation with the Coronavirus wouldn't be getting any worse. It may be at its peak and hopefully from then onwards the situation will be improving and therefore the stock exchange should improve. Therefore I'd be buying at a low price and the stocks will rise nicely after. I'm new to investing. Would this be wise? Any tips or advice?

If it isn't getting any worse in 6 weeks, the market will not be at the bottom then. Likely to have risen significantly on any positive news that will indicate it isn't getting worse. So you are not likely to be buying at the bottom. Nor will you be sure things won't get worse after that. If the situation in China is anything to go by, the stock market recovered from the crash in Jan/Feb about two weeks before the numbers start stabilising. Even then the outbreaks in other parts of the world is now affecting it but not to the extent of the FTSE and S&P.
Don't try to time the market, just invest whatever you don't need urgently. The main thing is not to buy individual stocks except you have some very good information.

Tildaplum

Ollie the Octopus says 'maybe'

JustAnotherSaver

Why would trackers be a bad idea in the current situation? Since many of us including myself are invested that way. 

lopsyfa

Voyager2002 said:

Personally I shall be buying this week: but only companies in China!

Chinese stocks hasn't really fallen that much compared to other countries. So you will be paying more and there is no guarantees the outbreak won't happen again in China. If the situation gets worse elsewhere or another wave in China, the Chinese stock markets will likely see similar fall to what we are seeing elsewhere.

Thrugelmir

lopsyfa said:

Voyager2002 said:

Personally I shall be buying this week: but only companies in China!

China hasn't really fallen that much compared to other countries. 

If consumers aren't out and about spending money then factory activity in China will remain subdued. Apple has closed it's global retail stores outside of China for 2 weeks. While safety of employees is paramount. How much of the decision was driven by a lack of product to sell? 

Albermarle

So you will be paying more and there is no guarantees the outbreak won't happen again in China

Although the Wuhan lockdown has been successful, they will have to start to release it at some point and then a second wave of the virus is very likely. Probably same will happen in Europe but a few months behind China and will be maybe 18 months before we are more fully back to normal.