Given the current volatile nature of the stock markets do you invest in stocks?

Good mornig! Investing in stocks is a part and parcel of my life irresepctive of volatility.Whether one should go in for safer instruments depends on one's experience, capacity for holding,risk appetite and most importantly the motive for investing.

I think there is still money to be made in the volatile environment. But I have near to zero knowledge of it. So I won't touch it unless I have someone to guide me along while I learn the rules of the game.

If I would be able to invest in the stock market today, I would definitely do it; however, I am cash strapped at the moment. Anyway, it is good to invest in the stock market if you make it a long-term investment. Take note invest not trade. Trading is where you find people who suffer heart attacks. It is actually an opportunity to buy since the prices are low just like what Warren Buffet is doing, he treats every low stock prices as a trip to a candy store. Damn, I wish I do have the money to buy now!

Stocks are more volatile simply because long-term, they have the potential to produce greater yields. Even within stocks you can choose from safer, more stable blue chip companies (such as Exxon, McDonalds, General Electric etc) that will suffer less volatility but produce only modest overall gains. You can increase your exposure to volatility and potentially improve your yields by investing in emerging market economics (such as an index-tracker fund for the Shanghai stock market in China). Bonds do provide a more steady income but for lower yields. You need to weigh up the rate of inflation and whether your investments are providing you with real gains. Bonds may be more suitable for you when you are nearing retirement to reduce your exposure to volatile market shifts. If you're young and you've got plenty of time to invest I'd certainly recommend increasing your exposure to risk and therefore increasing your liklihood of maximizing your gains.

Stocks for sure. My husband and I love to invest now days as he is an economics major and we feel there is a great opportunity to invest now. One should always invest only what they can afford to lose. Watching stocks crumble daily also reminds me that they can rise at any moment. I also do have a savings account and some bonds to make sure the investments are balanced.

I buy when the investment trust premiums get big. I don't like bonds because you pay a lot for ones with inflation protection compared to shares in companies which are free to raise their prices. I am loving tobbaco shares at the moment.