Choices in investments

Hi Mr. Tan,

Greetings. I am thankful for your blog entries. Thank you for taking the effort to share with us your expertise.

I am looking at investing for retirement. I have been looking at funds targeted at emerging markets such as Russia, India. I have also been told that the dollar-cost averaging helps to level out risks in the long term. Is then a monthly 'savings' into an emerging markets fund a sound investment for retirement? If yes, what are some funds that you would highly recommend? If not, what are the alternatives you would recommend I look into?

I am also looking into investment in more conservative avenues. I heard over television an expert recommending the money market funds as an ideal investment tool for the immediate future, as the markets are quite vulnerable. Are there any particular money market funds that are recommended for the more conservative investor?

A bank has introduced a new structured deposit (Crude Oil Structured Deposit). My first impression of the fund is that it looks pretty promising. Are there any fine print that I may have overlooked? Thank you very much for sharing your expertise and your time.

REPLY

My suggestion is set out in this FAQ:
http://www.tankinlian.com/faq/savings.html

I suggest investing in a low cost, diversified investment fund for the long term, in Singapore or a established market. I do not recommend investing in an emerging market fund, because it is more speculative.

You should also avoid structured products. Read this FAQ:
http://www.tankinlian.com/faq/sinvest.html