Impact of market drop on long term yield

If you have invested in Singapore or Global equity over the past 10 to 20 years, your average yield (computed up to 2007) would have been 8% to 9% per annum. The stockmarkets had dropped by 25% from its recent peak.

If you allow for this drop, the impact on the average yield would be 1% to 2.5%. The average yield would have dropped to 5.5% to 8% per annum. It is still an attractive yield, compared to other asset classes.

The secret: invest for the long term (10 to 20 years) and select a low cost investment fund (which takes away 1% or less). Better still, find the right time to invest - when the market has dropped 25%. This is a good time. Even if the market drops further, it will recover within the next 6 to 12 months.