You might be switching off this summer, but your investment portfolio shouldn’t have to go into holiday mode.
Three simple habits can help keep your financial goals on track while you take a break:
Out of office, not out of the market
Stay consistent
Investing regularly can help remove the pressure of deciding whether today is the ‘right’ time to invest. Many investors try to time the market by ‘buying the dip’ – investing after prices have fallen – but this can risk missing the best-performing days. Our research suggests that consistency and the length of time money is invested for can matter more than finding the perfect entry point.1
Missing top-performing days can hurt your return
Hypothetical investment of $100 in the S&P 500 Index over the last 20 years (2006-2025)
The figures shown relate to past performance. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Index performance returns do not reflect any management fees, transaction costs or expenses. Indices are unmanaged and one cannot invest directly in an index. Sources: BlackRock, Bloomberg, December 2025. Stocks are represented by the S&P 500 Index, an unmanaged index that is generally considered representative of the U.S. stock market.
Stay calm
Playing the long game – thinking in years, not days or weeks – may help in times of volatility. Research shows that a portfolio holding 60% shares and 40% bonds had a 29.5% chance of undershooting inflation over a one-year period, effectively resulting in a loss in ‘real’ terms (i.e. accounting for inflation). Over 20 years however, that probability fell to 0.9% – meaning that investment returns beat inflation in over 99% of the periods analysed.2 This shows how a longer time horizon can put short-term market swings into perspective.
History suggests that staying invested for longer can reduce the likelihood of losses
The figures shown relate to past performance. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Index performance returns do not reflect any management fees, transaction costs or expenses. Indices are unmanaged and one cannot invest directly in an index. Source: BlackRock, Robert J. Shiller, December 2025. Multi-asset portfolio comprised of 60% S&P 500 index, and 40% 10 Year US Government Bonds. Probabilities represent the proportion of rolling investment periods of the specified length that delivered negative and positive real returns (using US Consumer Price Index as measure of inflation) between January 1871 and December 2025 based on monthly data. US indices used as proxy for global indices given large allocation to US in global indices.
Give your portfolio more than one engine
A diversified portfolio spreads money across investments with different sources of return, including shares, bonds and non-traditional assets such as gold. When one part of a portfolio is under pressure, another may hold up better, helping to soften some of the ups and downs. Diversification doesn’t remove the risk of loss, but it can make returns less dependent on a single company, sector or market.
Holding everything in cash may feel safer because the balance doesn’t visibly move up and down, yet that stability can have a cost. Inflation can eat away at the value of cash, and even a small difference in annual returns can make a meaningful impact when compounded over time. At a steady 1%, an investment takes about 35 years to double; at 4%, 18 years; at 7%, 10 years.3
That’s why being strategic about how you invest, keeping a long-term perspective and diversifying your investments can matter so much. Together, these habits can help to keep your financial plans on track – so the only dips you need to focus on this summer are in the pool.
Footnotes
- The figures shown relate to past performance. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Index performance returns do not reflect any management fees, transaction costs or expenses. Indices are unmanaged and one cannot invest directly in an index. Sources: BlackRock, Bloomberg, December 2025. Stocks are represented by the S&P 500 Index, an unmanaged index that is generally considered representative of the U.S. stock market.
- The figures shown relate to past performance. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Index performance returns do not reflect any management fees, transaction costs or expenses. Indices are unmanaged and one cannot invest directly in an index. Source: BlackRock, Robert J. Shiller, December 2025. Multi-asset portfolio comprised of 60% S&P 500 index, and 40% 10 Year US Government Bonds. Probabilities represent the proportion of rolling investment periods of the specified length that delivered negative and positive real returns (using US Consumer Price Index as measure of inflation) between January 1871 and December 2025 based on monthly data. US indices used as proxy for global indices given large allocation to US in global indices.
- Source: BlackRock, as of 8 August 2026.
Performance of financial markets, 2021-2026 YTD
The figures shown relate to past performance. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of current or future results. Index performance returns do not reflect any management fees, transaction costs or expenses. Indices are unmanaged and one cannot invest directly in an index. Source: Bloomberg, as of 11 August 2026.
Capital at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and are not guaranteed. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested.
General Disclosure: This material is intended for information purposes only, and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation or an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any securities to any person in any jurisdiction in which an offer, solicitation, purchase or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. References to specific company names, asset classes and financial markets are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice or investment recommendations. This material may contain estimates and forward-looking statements, which may include forecasts and do not represent a guarantee of future performance. This information is not intended to be complete or exhaustive. No representations or warranties, either express or implied, are made regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed are as of 14/08/2026 and are subject to change without notice. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the reader. Investing involves risks.
References to specific company names are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice or investment recommendations.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Index performance returns do not reflect any management fees, transaction costs or expenses. Indices are unmanaged and one cannot invest directly in an index.
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