As the S&P 500 enters bull market territory, here's what to consider before you invest (2024)

FAQs

As the S&P 500 enters bull market territory, here's what to consider before you invest? ›

The greater a portfolio's exposure to the S&P 500 index, the more the ups and downs of that index will affect its balance. That is why experts generally recommend a 60/40 split between stocks and bonds. That may be extended to 70/30 or even 80/20 if an investor's time horizon allows for more risk.

The easiest way to invest in the S&P 500

The simplest way to invest in the index is through S&P 500 index funds or ETFs that replicate the index. You can purchase these in a taxable brokerage account, or if you're investing for retirement, in a 401(k) or IRA, which come with added tax benefits.

Investors who want to benefit from a bull market should buy early in order to take advantage of rising prices and sell them when they've reached their peak. Although it is hard to determine when the bottom and peak will take place, most losses will be minimal and are usually temporary.

It's safe to buy stocks, but the market environment warrants caution. To summarize, the S&P 500 moved much higher over the past year, and the index currently trades at a material premium to its historical valuation.

The two investments held in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio that Buffett recommends more than anything else are two S&P 500 index funds. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT: SPY) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO).

Assuming an average annual return rate of about 10% (a typical historical average), a $10,000 investment in the S&P 500 could potentially grow to approximately $25,937 over 10 years.

Mistake 4: Delaying or not making an investment

Last on the list but most common - when the market is at an all-time high in a bull market, most investors stop their SIP or don't make fresh investments. However, this mindset is because you may assume that the market will fall. However, it may not happen.

In a bull market, the ideal thing for an investor to do is to take advantage of rising prices by buying stocks early in the trend (if possible) and then selling them when they have reached their peak.

How to get 10% return on investment? ›

One of the most common methods of analyzing stocks is to look at the P/E ratio, which compares a company's current stock price to its earnings per share. P/E is found by dividing the price of one share of a stock by its EPS. Generally, a lower P/E ratio is a good sign.

The Needham Aggressive Growth Retail fund beat the S&P 500 index over the past one-, three-, five- and 10-year periods. Its 10-year average return was 12.78%.

A 32-year market vet warns the S&P 500 is set to fall 50%-70% in the years ahead with valuations at historic highs — and says that an imminently weakening labor market will be the catalyst for the crash. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

The main drawback to the S&P 500 is that the index gives higher weights to companies with more market capitalization. The stock prices for Apple and Microsoft have a much greater influence on the index than a company with a lower market cap.

Diversification is an important factor, and you'll want to balance having too much in one type of asset. For example, many experts recommend having an allocation to large stocks such as those in an S&P 500 index fund as well as an allocation to medium- and small-cap stocks.

Investors holding S&P 500 index funds try to match the performance of the index, not to outperform it. Therefore, they can use the buy-and-hold strategy of investment, also known as passive management. There is no need to actively monitor the stock market movements and engage in intense intra-day trading.