Calculating investments loss/gain

ForestBluebells

I recently started investing only in February and I’m confused how to the Hargreaves Lansdown app calculates %gain/loss.  I know they try to explain it in the app but it doesn’t seem to have any bearing on the amount I invested and what’s currently left in the “pot”. Do people calculate this manually themselves usually as the figure they show seems to under estimate % change. 

EdGasketTheSecond

Yes use your own figures. (Difference between price paid (including costs) and current value) X 100 / price paid (including costs) = your % gain/loss.

ForestBluebells

Ok great I’ll add a section to my budget spreadsheet for this thank you 

eskbanker

ForestBluebells said:

I recently started investing only in February

Ouch!

ForestBluebells said:

I’m confused how to the Hargreaves Lansdown app calculates %gain/loss.

I don't know how HL do it but some platforms use the concept of annualisation, i.e. extrapolating performance over a short period into what would happen if the same was experienced over a full year.  This effect would produce some dramatic results at times of significant change, so if you're looking at a notional annualised figure then I wouldn't put too much store by it.

ForestBluebells

I’m not too bothered as it’s only small figures as I have only put in around £1000 so far which is drip fed weekly as I get the cash although I agree it wasn’t the best time to start investing but this is for my retirement so I’ve got at least another 30+ years to go so I’m just finding it interesting at the moment as it’s not a scary amount of loss. 

Albermarle

but this is for my retirement

Normally for retirement it is  better to save in a pension due to the tax advantages.

Maybe you are, but it sounds from your post that you are investing in a S&S ISA maybe ?

badger09

Albermarle said:

but this is for my retirement

Normally for retirement it is  better to save in a pension due to the tax advantages.

Maybe you are, but it sounds from your post that you are investing in a S&S ISA maybe ?

OP's other threads suggest she is already paying into work & private pension & LISA I think. 

ForestBluebells

Yes I already pay into my work pension up to the maximum my employer will invest and am now investing in a LISA.  I did also open a S&S ISA for long term cash savings but I’m only investing £100 a month in that. I’m roughly 50/50 investing into a LISA/cash savings currently. 

I can’t get the formula to work in my spreadsheet (my error I know), is there a good template I can use on how best to input these figures?

badger09

ForestBluebells said:

Yes I already pay into my work pension up to the maximum my employer will invest and am now investing in a LISA.  I did also open a S&S ISA for long term cash savings but I’m only investing £100 a month in that. I’m roughly 50/50 investing into a LISA/cash savings currently. 

I can’t get the formula to work in my spreadsheet (my error I know), is there a good template I can use on how best to input these figures?

Current value/cost% works for me

Thrugelmir

ForestBluebells said:

I’m not too bothered as it’s only small figures as I have only put in around £1000 so far which is drip fed weekly as I get the cash although I agree it wasn’t the best time to start investing but this is for my retirement so I’ve got at least another 30+ years to go so I’m just finding it interesting at the moment as it’s not a scary amount of loss. 

The larger the amount you have invested the bigger the swings will get in £'s as investment values fluctuate 

ForestBluebells

I don’t I don’t know if I’m over complicating things. These are my columns

YTD Invested

April invested

April LISA bonus

Total Invested

Current Value

Charges

% Change

£ Change