Investing in stocks and shares for a beginner

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Is there any difference just putting money into a spread bet on the FTSE compared to buying a tracker fund?

Also,listen to a number of financial podcasts.Wake up to money,the motley fool,disciplined Investor,money box,moneytree podcast etc etc.Iain King live on sky news can also be useful.

AND DON’T BORROW MONEY TO INVEST,PERIOD.

@ jambalaya I was meaning go for a tracker over active funds for US markets rather than individual stocks.

Stay away from spread betting IMO unless you really know what you’re doing or have a lot of money you’re prepared to lose.

Even the well balanced US indexed funds are bringing in currently 140-150% return over 5 years.

Which is less than your minimum 15% per annum….

Look back over 10 years (to include the 2008) crash and their performance will be much much worse.

Like I say, list specific funds that have achieved >15% year on year over the last 10 years.

EDIT: Look at the NASDAQ over the last 5 years, any basic tracker would have achieved 200% cumulative growth (15% pa). This isn’t investor skill or great fund management, it’s just riding a rising market. Any fool can do that.

Nasdaq 5 yr by brf[/url], on Flickr

However, look at it over 10 years and you aren’t doing quite so well, you cumulative year on year gain would be roughly half that (7% ish). I’d be impressed to see any major fund achieve 15% pa cumulative over that last 10 years (obviously higher risk, lower volume fund might, but they could just as easily fold as well).

Nasdaq 10 yr by brf[/url], on Flickr

bm