During these difficult times following the spread of Covid-19 across the globe, businesses have had to adapt and world markets have all been affected. You may be looking to invest your money somewhere safe, or you may be looking to take risks whilst others are being cautious.
If you are unsure where to put your money, here are some risky and not so risky business and investment areas to look at, together with their odds of success.
Retail store
The High Street has taken the brunt of this pandemic as countries across the world entered lockdown, which has meant that shops other than essential shops have had to be closed for months.
The announcement by the government that all non essential shops can begin to open from Monday 15th June 2020 means that these businesses can begin to trade and reduce their losses during this time.
The outlook for shops in the short term looks very difficult and may not be a wise investment currently as the initial outlay on stock and rent would be hard to see a return on unless you feel your business idea meets a demand from consumers in these uncertain times.
Verdict: Risky, particularly as our shopping habits are changing
Lottery
The lottery has been hugely successful over the years in the UK as everyone has that dream of winning a life changing amount of money without a large initial outlay. There are a wide selection of lottery games that can be played and you can find all the odds of winning the lottery here which helps make an informed decision on your chances and what you would like to spend.
The Lottery doesn’t just offer the headline lottery draws there are options for all players such as scratch cards and games.
This option does offer the chance of a great return on your investment without a significant investment. However, whilst the potential rewards are extremely high, the odds of success are much lower than some other investments. In other words, it’s highly risky… but does that matter if you’re doing it for fun?
Verdict: Very high risk
Stocks and Shares
World markets have always been a way of investing money with the aim of seeing a great return. It can be complicated to invest in and seeing a return can be difficult, unless you know your onions. Investing large sums of money can be a risk due to the uncertain economy we are currently facing, you could see your investment disappear instantly.
World markets have been hit significantly in recent days with rumours of second spikes of Coronavirus in the US and China have seen a large slump in share prices.
The odds of a return in the short term would be slim as the market is so volatile at the moment so you may have to look at a longer investment with this option. Having said that, many otherwise solid companies are recording very low stock prices right now, so it could be a good idea to buy the right shares whilst the price is low.
If you are unsure how to invest in stocks and shares, you might consider opening a passive market tracker account, such as Vanguard. Some studies suggest that the long term returns are better than managed funds when fees are taken into account.
Verdict: High risk in the short term, medium to low risk in the long term
Saving accounts
Personal savings accounts were a great place to your money and attracted a fair rate of interest in the last century. Then came the Global financial Crisis of 2007-2008 which changed everything. Interest rates have been slashed ever since; falling to their lowest levels ever in the last few months. Some national banks are even trading bonds at negative interest rates.
Savers now see that they are not making any interest with their money in the bank as the Bank of England base rate is as little as 0.1%.
This has left savers looking to move their money and invest it elsewhere. Savings accounts wouldn’t be the best option for your money currently with rates so low and there are no signs of this charging in the foreseeable future. The only circumstance where a bank account could be prudent is if we slip into a period of deflation (where essentially our money actually increases in value).
Verdict: Low risk, but low returns
Property
Traditionally in the UK property has been a great way to invest. Since the recession of the early 1990’s property values have steadily increased and many people have benefited financially from this. Buying multiple properties is a great way to invest your money as you can benefit from the increase in market value and whilst you own the properties you can earn money from rentals.
If the money you are looking to invest isn’t enough to buy properties outright then Buy To Let mortgages are a great way to purchase multiple properties with the rental income covering the mortgage payments.
The odds of a return by investing in property is good as there will be the market value increase along with the monthly rentals.
Whilst there are no guarantees property is a good place to invest right now, history shows us that people always need somewhere to live. They aren’t making any more land, and the UK still faces a huge housing shortage.
Verdict: The housing market is likely to be severely hit in the short term – but could be safe long-term bet, and you may be able to pick up a bargain!
Gold
In times of uncertainty, investors always look somewhere safe to move their money. As soon as there is a crisis, the gold price quickly increases as people buy what is regarded as the safest portable asset in the world.
Given the current global health and economic crisis, gold prices have already risen considerably. However, if you think things are going to get worse before they get better, it might not be too late to get in on the action.
Verdict: Safe place for your money, but look out for falling prices as economies recover
