Midterm elections can introduce uncertainty and turmoil to the stock market. A change in power in Congress could lead to policy and regulatory changes that could impact the economy and corporate profits. As such, investors will be watching to see which party wins control of Congress and the implications for the stock market.
Historically, the stock market has underperformed leading up to midterm elections and bounced back in the year following the elections. Many investors use this historical precedent to predict how midterms will affect the stock market in the future. However, past performance is not indicative of future results. The midterm elections may be less important on the stock market than other economic factors, like high interest rates, inflation, and rising energy costs.
What are the Midterm Elections?
As the name suggests, midterm elections occur in the middle of a presidential term, as opposed to a general election. Midterm elections are when voters elect every member of the House of Representatives, and about one-third of the members of the Senate. The results of the midterm elections often determine which political party controls the House and Senate, which could determine the future of economic policy that may affect the stock market, and investors’ plans for buying and selling stocks or other securities.
History of Midterm Elections Results
Historically, the president’s party loses ground in Congress during the midterm elections. Of the 22 midterm elections since 1934, the president’s party has lost an average of 28 seats in the House of Representatives and four in the Senate. The president’s party gained seats in both the House and the Senate only twice over this period.
The flip in power during the midterm elections occurs, in part, because the president’s approval rating usually declines during the first two years in office, which can influence voters to vote against the party in power or not show up to the polls. Additionally, voters of the party not in control are often more motivated to vote during these elections, boosting voter turnout that can help the opposition party outperform the president’s party.
During the most recent midterm election cycle, in 2022, the Republican party won the House of Representatives with a 222-213 seat majority. The Democratic Party maintained a majority in the Senate, with a 51-seat majority.
Stock Market Performance During Year of Midterm Elections
Leading up to the midterm elections, the stock market tends to underperform. Since 1962, the average annual return of the S&P 500 Index in the 12 months before midterm elections is 0.3%. In contrast, the historical average return of the S&P 500 is an 8.1% gain.
This underperformance during the midterm year follows the Presidential Election Cycle Theory, which implies that the first two years of a president’s term tend to be the weakest for the stocks.
However, it’s unclear whether this downbeat performance and stock volatility in the year preceding the midterms is a function of investors’ views of potential election outcomes and subsequent policy changes.
Some analysts say that the underperformance occurs due to uncertainty about the election’s outcome and impact, and investors don’t like uncertainty. But others say that the more critical impact on the stock market is the state of the economy; factors like the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, energy prices, inflation, and the state of the labor market are more important to the stock market.
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Stock Market Performance Following Midterm Elections
Even though the stock market, as measured by the S&P 500, has historically underperformed leading up to the midterm elections, stocks have tended to overperform in the post-election environment. Between 1962 and 2022, the 12 months after midterm elections, the S&P 500 had an average return of 16.3%.
The gains in stocks following the midterm elections have occurred due to no single factor. One reason may be that investors prefer the certainty of knowing the makeup of the federal government and potential policy changes.
Moreover, some believe that because the president’s party typically loses ground in the midterm elections, it reduces the likelihood of policy changes that could have a negative impact on the economy. This, in turn, can provide a tailwind for stocks. The potential for gridlock, rather than sweeping policy and regulatory changes, is usually welcomed by investors.
How Did the 2022 Midterm Elections Affect the Stock Market?
It is always difficult to say how any midterm election cycle will affect the stock market. But we can look at the most recent midterm election, in 2022, to get a sense. Immediately following the election, on November 8, 2022, the S&P 500 did see an increase – but in December, the market later fell before gaining steam again in January.
So, it’s difficult to say how much the elections weighed on the markets, aside from other factors. During that time, for instance, rising inflation and interest rates may have been playing a larger role in the market’s performance than other variables.
But broadly and historically, again, the most obvious way the midterm elections could impact the markets is that if one party or the other gains control of Congress, that could influence economic policy and the country’s direction. This could lead to tax policy, regulation, and spending changes that could impact businesses and the stock market.
Another potential impact of the midterm elections is that if there is a change in control of Congress, that could lead to more investigations and subpoenas of businesses and individuals, which could create uncertainty that investors and the markets may not like.
The Takeaway
The history of midterm elections is one of cycles: the party in power typically loses ground during midterm elections, and the opposition party typically gains ground. And these cycles are also evident in the performance of the stock market, with muted stock gains in the year of a midterm election and substantial gains the year following the elections.
But despite these historical trends, no one can say for sure how the midterm elections will impact the stock market. And investors shouldn’t necessarily rely on these trends when making investing decisions. Instead, investors might want to try and maintain a long-term view to reach financial goals, avoiding the short-term noise and uncertainty of elections and politics. Investors should continue to focus on asset allocation, risk tolerance, and the time horizon of a diversified portfolio to achieve financial goals.
Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).
For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.
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SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below:
Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
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Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
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When it comes to investing, there are certain rules of thumb that investors are often encouraged to follow. One of the most-repeated adages in investing is to try and “buy low, sell high.”
Buying low and selling high simply means purchasing securities at one price, then selling them later at a higher price. This bit of investing wisdom offers a relatively straightforward take on how to realize profits in the market. But figuring out how to buy low and sell high — and make this strategy work — is a bit more complicated. Timing the market is not a perfect science, and understanding that implementing a buy low, sell high strategy is more complicated than it sounds is critical to investor success.
Key Points
• Buy low, sell high is an investment strategy that involves purchasing securities at a lower price and selling them later at a higher price.
• Timing the market and implementing this strategy can be challenging, as market movements are unpredictable.
• Understanding stock market cycles and trends can help determine when to buy low and sell high.
• Technical indicators and moving averages can assist in identifying pricing trends and points of resistance.
• Investor biases and herd mentality can impact decision-making, so it’s important to make rational choices based on research and analysis.
What Does It Mean to “Buy Low, Sell High”?
“Buy low, sell high” is an investment philosophy that advocates buying stocks or other securities at one price, and then selling them later when they’ve (hopefully) gained value. This is the opposite of buying high and selling low, which effectively results in investors selling stocks at a loss.
When investors buy low and sell high, they may do so to maximize profits. For example, a day trader may purchase shares of XYZ stock at $10 in the morning, then turn around and sell them for $30 per share in the afternoon if the stock’s price increases. The result is a $20 profit per share, less trading fees or commissions. Of course, a price increase of that magnitude within a single day is highly unlikely.
Likewise, a buy and hold investor may purchase stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), or mutual funds and hold onto them for years or even decades. The payoff comes if they sell those securities later for more than what they paid for them.
The following tips may help investors develop a buy low, sell high strategy (or avoid the buy high, sell low trap).
1. Investing with the Business Cycle
Understanding stock market cycles and their correlation to the business cycle can help when determining how to buy low and sell high.
The business cycle is the rise and fall in economic activity that an economy experiences over time. If the business cycle is in an expansion phase and the economy is growing, for instance, then stock prices may be on the upswing as well. On the other hand, if it’s become apparent that economic growth has peaked, that could be a signal for stock price drops to come as an economy slows or enters into a recession.
It’s also important to remember that security prices typically don’t move in a straight line up or down in lockstep with a specific phase of the business cycle. Instead, most securities experience a level of volatility, where prices move up or down (or both) in the short term before reverting to the mean.
2. Look at Stock Pricing Trends
Investors who want to buy low may find it helpful to pay attention to pricing trends or technical indicators. Tracking trends for individual securities, for a particular stock market sector, or the market as a whole can help investors get a sense of what kind of momentum is driving prices.
For instance, an investor wondering how low a stock price can go can look at technical indicator trends to identify significant pricing dips or rises in the stock’s history. This could, potentially, help determine when a stock or security has reached its bottom, opening the door for buying opportunities. Conversely, investors may also use trends to evaluate when a stock has likely reached its high point, indicating that it’s prime time to sell.
3. Use Moving Averages
Moving averages are a commonly used indicator for technical analysis. A moving average represents the average price of a security over a set time period. So to find a simple moving average, for example, an investor would choose a time period to measure. Then they’d add up the stock’s closing price each day for that time period and divide it by the number of days.
The moving average formula can help compare stock pricing and determine points of resistance. In other words, they can tell investors where stock prices have topped out or bottomed out over time. Moving averages can smooth out occasional pricing blips that temporarily push stock prices up or down.
Comparing one moving average to another, such as the 50-day moving average to the 200-day moving average, can also help investors to spot sustainable up or down pricing trends. All this can help when deciding when to buy low or sell high.
4. Beware of Investor Bias
An investor bias is a pattern of behavior that influences reactions to a changing market. For example, noise trading happens when an investor makes a trade without considering the state of the market or timing. The investor may follow pricing trends but make trades without considering whether the time is right to buy or sell.
Investors who give in to biases may find themselves following a herd mentality when it comes to making trades. If news of a pending interest rate hike sparks fear in the markets, investors may start panic selling in droves. This can, in turn, cause stock prices to drop. On the other hand, irrational exuberance for a specific stock or type of security can push prices up, causing an unsustainable market bubble.
Investors who can refrain from being influenced by the crowd stand a better chance of making rational decisions about when to buy or when to sell to either maximize profits or minimize losses.
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Pros and Cons of Buy Low, Sell High
A buy low, sell high strategy can work for investors, but while it’s a worthy goal, the implementation can be difficult. Investors who are too focused on timing the stock market can run into difficulties.
Benefits of Buy Low, Sell High
Buying low and selling high can yield these advantages to investors.
• Potential bargain-buying opportunities. If investor sentiment is causing fear and panic to take over the market and push stock prices down, that could open a door for buy low, sell high investors as they buy the dip. Individuals who ignore market panic could purchase stocks and other securities at a discount, only to benefit later once the market rebounds and prices begin to rise again.
• Potential for high returns. An investor skilled at spotting trendings and reading the market cycle could reap sizable profits using a buy low, sell high strategy. The wider the gap between a stock’s purchase and sale price, the higher the profit margin.
• Beat the market. A buy low, sell high approach could also help investors to beat the market if their portfolio performs better than expected. This might be preferable for active traders who forgo a passive or indexing approach to investing.
Disadvantages of Buy Low, Sell High
Attempting to buy low and sell high also holds some risks for investors.
• Timing the market is imperfect. There’s no way to time the market and which way stock prices will go at any given moment with 100% accuracy. So there’s still some risk for investors who jump the gun on when to buy or sell if stocks have yet to reach their respective lowest or highest points.
• Being left out of the market. Investors who want to buy low and sell high would not want to buy securities when the market is up. That practice, however, could lead to substantial time out of the market entirely, especially during bull markets.
• Biases can influence decision-making. Investment biases and herd mentality can wreak havoc in a portfolio if an investor allows it. Instead of buying low and selling at a profit later, investors may find themselves in a buy high, sell low cycle where they lose money on investments.
• Pricing doesn’t tell the whole story. While tracking stock pricing trends and moving averages can be useful, they don’t offer a complete picture of what drives pricing changes. For that reason, it’s important for investors also to consider other factors, such as consumer sentiment, the possibility of a merger, or geopolitical events, influencing stock prices.
Alternatives to Buy Low, Sell High
Buying low and selling high is not a foolproof way to match or beat the market’s performance. It’s easy to make mistakes and lose money when attempting to time the market unless, of course, you possess a crystal ball or psychic abilities.
There are, however, other ways to invest without trying to time the market. Take dollar-cost averaging, for example. This strategy involves staying invested in the market continuously through its changing cycles. Instead of trying to time when to buy or sell, investors continue making new investments. Over time, the highs and lows in stock pricing tend to average out.
A dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP) is another option. Investors who own dividend-paying stocks may have the opportunity to enroll in a DRIP. Instead of receiving dividend payouts as cash, they’re reinvesting into additional shares of the same stock. Similar to dollar-cost averaging, this approach could make it easier to ride out the ups and downs of the market over time and eliminate the stress of deciding when to buy or sell.
Investing with SoFi
A buy low, sell high investment strategy is fairly simple, in that it involves buying a security at one price, and selling it after, or if, it appreciates. Obviously, there’s no guarantee that any asset will appreciate, so it’s possible investors could lose money – but they could also see positive returns, too.
Further, the strategy can be challenging to implement. Executing a buy low, sell high plan successfully means researching and doing due diligence to understand how the market works.
Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).
For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.
FAQ
Is buying low and selling high a good strategy?
Buying low and selling high can generally be a good strategy as it allows you to take advantage of price movements in the market. However, there is no guarantee that this strategy will always be successful, and you may end up losing money if the market conditions are not favorable.
Is it illegal to buy low and sell high?
There is no law against buying low and selling high. Most investors make money by buying a security at a low price and then selling it later at a higher price.
Why do you sell high and buy low?
Many investors sell high and buy low because they want to take advantage of market conditions to realize a positive return. When the market is high, investors may sell an investment they purchased at a lower price to make a profit.
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SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below:
Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.
Block trades are big under-the-radar trades, generally carried out in private. Because of their size, block trades have the potential to move the markets. For that reason they’re conducted by special groups known as block houses. And while they’re considered legal, block trades are not regulated by the SEC.
As a retail investor, you likely won’t have anything to do with block trades, but it’s a good idea to know what they are, how they work, and how they can affect the overall market.
Key Points
• Block trades are large-volume purchases or sales of financial assets, often conducted by institutional investors.
• Block trades can move the market for a security and are executed through block trade facilities, dark pools, or block houses.
• Block trades are used to avoid market disruption and can be broken down into smaller trades to conceal their size.
• Retail investors may find it difficult to detect block trades, but they can provide insights into short-term market movements and sentiment.
• Block trades are legal and not regulated by the SEC, but they can be perceived as unfair by retail investors.
What Are Block Trades?
A block trade is a single purchase or sale of a large volume of financial assets. A block, as defined by the New York Stock Exchange’s Rule 127.10, is a minimum of 10,000 shares of stock. For bonds, a block trade usually involves at least $200,000 worth of a given fixed-income security.
Though 10,000 shares is the operative figure, the number of shares involved in most block trades is far higher. Individuals typically don’t execute block trades. Rather, they most often come from institutional investors, such as mutual funds, hedge funds, or other large-scale investors.
Why Do Block Trades Exist?
Block trades are often so large that they can move the market for a given security. If a pension fund manager, for example, plans to sell one million shares of a particular stock without sparking a broader market selloff, selling all those shares on a public market will take some time.
During that process, the value of the shares the manager is selling will likely go down — the market sees a drop in demand, and values decrease accordingly. Sometimes, the manager will sell even more slowly. But that creates the risk that other traders will identify the institution or the fund behind the sale. Then, those investors might short the stock to take advantage.
Those same risks exist for a fund manager who is buying large blocks of a given security on a public market. The purchase itself can drive up the price, again, as the market sees an increase in demand. And if the trade attracts attention, other traders may front-run the manager’s purchases.
How Block Trades Are Executed
Many large institutions conduct their block trades through block trade facilities, dark pools, or block houses, in an effort to avoid influencing the market. Most of those institutions typically have expertise in both initiating and executing very large trades, without having a major — and costly — effect on the price of a given security.
Every one of these non-public exchange services operates according to its own rules when it comes to block trades, but what they have in common is relationships with hedge funds and others that can buy and sell large blocks of securities. By connecting these large buyers and sellers, blockhouses and dark pools offer the ability to make often enormous trades without roiling the markets.
Investment banks and large brokerages often have a division known as a block house. These block houses run dark pools, which are called such because the public can’t see the trades they’re making until at least a day after they’ve been executed.
Dark pools have been growing in popularity. In 2020, there were more than 50 dark pools registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States. At the end of 2023, dark pools executed about 15% of all U.S. equity trades.
Smaller Trades Are Used to Hide Block Trades
To help institutional traders conceal their block trades and keep the market from shifting, blockhouses may use a series of maneuvers to conceal the size of the trade being executed. At their most basic, these strategies involve breaking up the block into smaller trades. But they can be quite sophisticated, such as “iceberg orders,” in which the block house will break block orders into a large number of limit orders.
By using an automated program to make the smaller limit orders, they can hide the actual number of orders at any given time. That’s where the “iceberg” in the name comes from — the limit orders that other traders can see are just the tip of the iceberg.
Taken together, these networks of traders who make block trades are often referred to as the Upstairs Market, because their trades occur off the trading floor.
Pros and Cons of Block Trades
As with most things in the investment field and markets, block trades have their pros and cons. Read on to see a rundown of each.
Pros of Block Trades
The most obvious advantage of block trades is that they allow for large trades to commence without warping the market. Again, since large trades can have an effect on market values, block trades, done under the radar, can avoid causing undue volatility.
Block trades can be used to conceal information, too, which can also be a “pro” in the eyes of the involved parties. If Company A stock is moving in a block trade for a specific reason, traders outside of the block trade wouldn’t know about it.
Block trades are also not regulated by the SEC, meaning there are fewer hoops to jump through.
Cons of Block Trades
While masking a large, market-changing trade may be a good thing for those involved with the trade, it isn’t necessarily a positive thing for everyone else in the market. As such, block trades can veil market movements which may be perceived as unfair by retail investors, who are trading none the wiser.
Block trades can be hard to detect, too, as mentioned. Since they’re designed to be obscure to the greater market, it can be difficult to tell when a block trade is actually occuring.
Block trades are also not regulated by the SEC — it’s a pro, and a con. The SEC doesn’t regulate them, but rather the individual stock exchanges. That may not sit well with some investors.
Block Trade Example
An example of a block trade could be as follows: A large investment bank wants to sell one million shares of Company A stock. If they were to do so all at once, Company A’s stock would drop — if they do it somewhat slowly, the rest of the market may see what’s going on, and sell their shares in Company A, too. That would cause the value of Company A stock to fall before the investment bank is able to sell all of its shares.
To avoid that, the investment bank uses a block house, which breaks the large trade up into smaller trades, which are then traded through different brokerages. The single large trade now appears to be many smaller ones, masking its original origin.
Are Block Trades Legal?
Block trades are legal, but within stock market history they exist in something of a gray area. As mentioned, “blocks” are defined by rules from the New York Stock Exchange. But regulators like the SEC have not issued a legal definition of their own.
Further, while they can move markets, block trades are not considered market manipulation. They’re simply a method used by large investors to adjust their asset allocation with the least market disruption and stock volatility possible.
How Block Trades Impact Individual Investors
Institutional investors wouldn’t go to such lengths to conceal their block trades unless the information offered by a block trade was valuable. A block trade can offer clues about the short-term future movement and liquidity of a given security. Or it can indicate that market sentiment is shifting.
For retail (aka individual) investors, it can also be hard to know what a block trade indicates. A large trade that looks like the turning of the tide for a popular stock may just be a giant mutual fund making a minor adjustment.
But it is possible for retail investors to find information about block trades. There are a host of digital tools, some offered by mainstream online brokerages, that function like block trade indicators. This might be useful for trading stocks online.
Many of these tools use Nasdaq Quotation Dissemination Service (NQDS), Level 2 data. This subscription service offers investors access to the NASDAQ order book in real time. Its data feed includes price quotes from the market makers who are registered to trade every NASDAQ and OTC Bulletin Board security, and is popular among investors who trade using market depth and market momentum.
Even access to tools like that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to find block trades, though. Some blockhouses design their strategies, such as the aforementioned “iceberg orders,” to make them hard to detect on Level 2. But when combined with software filters, investors have a better chance of glimpsing these major trades before they show up later on the consolidated tape, which records all trades through blockhouses and dark pools — though often well after those trades have been fully executed.
These software tools vary widely in both sophistication and cost, but may be worth considering, depending on how serious of a trader you are. At the very least, using software to scan for block trades is a way to keep track of what large institutional investors and fund managers are buying and selling. Active traders may use the information to spot new trends.
The Takeaway
Block trades are large movements of securities, typically done under-the-radar, involving 10,000 or so shares, and around $200,000 in value. It can be difficult for individual investors to detect block trades — which, again, are giant position shifts by institutional investors — on their own.
But these trades have some benefits for individual investors. The mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that most investors have in their brokerage accounts, IRAs, 401(k)s and 529 plans may take advantage of the lower trading costs and volatility-dampening benefits of block trades, and pass along those savings to their shareholders.
Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).
For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.
Photo credit: iStock/marchmeena29
SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below:
Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.
Deciding how to invest money in your 20s can seem overwhelming at first; many people have differing opinions or goals, and it’s hard to know where to start. But remember that you don’t need to have a lot of money upfront to be a successful and savvy investor.
Perhaps the most important thing is to start investing early, even if your initial investments are small. Here are a few different strategies for investing money in your 20s.
Think About Financial Goals
When determining your financial goals, you may want to break down short-, medium-, and long-term milestones. You want to ask yourself what you want from your money and figure out when you’ll need to use the money. For example, the money you save for a medium-term goal, like a down payment on your first home, should be treated differently than the retirement savings you won’t touch for 40 or more years.
So, you may want to start buying stocks right away, but you may also want to give some strategic thought as to how that may fit into your overall financial goals.
If you have not earmarked savings for a specific financial goal, take some time to think about what purpose you’d like to apply it to. A great first saving goal is to have three to six months of living expenses in an emergency fund. After that, it might be good to turn your attention toward savings and investing for longer-term goals, like retirement.
Decide Where to House Your Money
When deciding how to invest money in your 20s, it can help to think about immediate, mid-term, and long-term financial needs. Once you have outlined some money goals, you could consider setting up your accounts. The type of account you open often depends on when you need the money.
Where to Put Immediate Money
Food, bills, rent, and everything else you must pay for on a month-to-month basis are immediate needs. Often people keep this money — along with a cushion so as not to overdraft their account — in an online bank account. These types of accounts allow you to withdraw money instantaneously, generally without penalties, making them ideal for your immediate financial needs.
Where to Put Mid-term Money
Mid-term money is any money you might need in the next couple of years, such as a travel fund, wedding fund, or home down payment savings. It might make sense to keep this money in a high-yield savings account, which provides a better return on your money than traditional savings accounts.
High-yield savings accounts, along with other cash equivalents like certificates of deposits (CDs) and money market accounts, are usually considered to be lower-risk investments (though CDs are not helpful for emergency funds because of the early termination penalties).
Where to Put Mid- to Long-term Money
For money you’ll use in five to 20 years, you may be prepared to take slightly more risk than a high-yield savings account. You might choose to keep the money in your high-yield savings account or in CDs, or a online brokerage account where you can invest that money in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or other asset classes. You can also do a combination of the different types of accounts.
Longer-term savings options, like a tax-advantage 529 plan, can also be appropriate if you’d like to start planning for higher education needs for current or future children.
Where to Put Long-Term Money
Think of long-term money as cash you won’t need for several decades. A retirement account is a great example of an appropriate place to hold long-term money. Retirement plans like a Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, or a 401(k) account can offer significant tax benefits.
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Potential Assets to Invest in During Your 20s
One important thing to understand about investing in your 20s is the tradeoff between risk and reward when implementing your investing strategy. You cannot have one without the other. With this risk and reward calculation in mind, you need to determine what asset classes you might consider when investing in your 20s.
Stocks
A stock is a tiny piece of ownership in a publicly-traded company. When you invest in a stock, you could earn money through capital appreciation, dividends, or a combination of the two.
Stocks can be volatile because prices fluctuate according to supply and demand forces as they trade on an open exchange. Even though stocks can be volatile and experience losses, they tend to provide positive returns over time. The S&P 500 index has had an average annual growth rate of 10.3% from 1957 through the end of 2023.
Bonds
Although not risk-free, experts generally consider bonds less risky (though not risk-free) than stocks because they are a contract that comes with a stated rate of return. Bonds backed by the U.S. government, called treasury bonds, are the safest within the category of bonds because it is unlikely that the U.S. government will go bankrupt.
Bonds are debt investments, meaning investors fund the debt of some entity. The money you earn on that investment is the interest they pay you for borrowing your money. In addition to treasuries and corporate bonds, there are municipal bonds, which state and local governments issue, and mortgage- and asset-backed bonds, which are bundles of mortgages or other financial assets that pass through the interest paid on mortgages or assets.
A fund is essentially a basket of investments — stocks, bonds, another investment type, or a combination thereof. Funds are helpful because they provide immediate diversification: safety against the risk of having too much money invested in one stock, sector, or any other single asset.
Funds are either actively or passively managed. A fund that is passively managed is attempting to track a specific index. An actively managed fund is maintained with a hands-on approach to determine investments in a portfolio. ETFs tend to be passively managed, but there are many actively managed ETFs funds on the market. Mutual funds can be either passively or actively managed.
Tips for Investing In Your 20s
Once you’ve become familiar with the basics of investing, it’s time to put that knowledge into action. These tips can help you shape a strategy for how to invest money in your 20s and beyond.
Gauge Your Personal Risk Tolerance
One of the key things to remember about investing in your 20s is that time is on your side. You have a significant time horizon window to allow your portfolio to recover from bouts of inevitable stock market volatility. Because of this, you could take more risks with your investments to try and achieve higher rewards.
Getting to know your personal risk preferences can help you decide where and how to invest in your 20s to achieve your investment goals. It’s also important to understand how risk tolerance matches your risk capacity and appetite.
Risk tolerance means the level of risk you’re comfortable taking. Risk capacity is the level of risk you prefer to take to reach your investment goals, while risk appetite is the level of risk you need to hit those milestones. When you’re younger, playing it too safe with your portfolio might mean missing out on significant investment returns.
Know the Difference Between Asset Allocation and Asset Location
People often invest in a combination of stocks and bonds, which is easy to do using mutual funds and ETFs. One strategy for investing in your 20s is to invest a higher allocation of your long-term investments in stocks and less in bonds, slowly moving into more bond funds the closer you get to retirement. This big picture decision is called asset allocation.
But asset allocation is only part of the picture. One might also consider asset location: the types of accounts where you’re putting your money, like savings accounts, an online brokerage account, a 401k, or an IRA.
Asset location matters when it comes to investing money in your 20s because it can maximize tax advantages if you’re utilizing a 401k or IRA. But these retirement accounts also have restrictions and penalties for withdrawing money. So if you want to be able to access your investments quickly, an online brokerage may be a complimentary investing account.
Take Advantage of Free Money
One of the simplest ways to start investing in your 20s is to enroll in your workplace retirement plan like a 401k.
Once you’ve enrolled in a plan, consider contributing at least enough to get the full company match if your employer offers one. If you don’t, you could be leaving money on the table.
And if you can’t make the full contribution to get the match right away, you can still work your way up to it by gradually increasing your salary deferral percentage. For example, you could raise your contribution rate by 1% each year until you reach the maximum deferral amount.
Don’t Be Afraid of Investment Alternatives
Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds can all be good places to start investing in your 20s. But don’t count out other alternative investments outside these markets.
Real estate is one example of an alternative investment that can be attractive to some investors. Investing in real estate in your 20s doesn’t necessarily mean you have to own a rental property, though that’s one option. You could also invest in fix-and-flip properties, real estate investment trusts (REITs), or crowdfunded real estate investments.
Adding alternative investments such as real estate, cryptocurrency, and commodities to your portfolio may improve diversification and could create some insulation against risk.
Learning how to invest money in your 20s doesn’t happen overnight. And you may still be fuzzy on how certain parts of the market work as you enter your 30s or 40s. But by continually educating yourself about different investments and investing strategies, you can gain the knowledge needed to guide your portfolio toward your financial goals.
One thing to know about investing in your 20s is that consistency can pay off in the long run. Even if you’re only able to invest a little money at a time through 401k contributions or by purchasing partial or fractional shares of stock, those amounts can add up as the years and decades pass.
If you’re ready to start saving and investing for your financial goals, the SoFi investment app can help. With SoFi Invest®, you can begin building a portfolio of stocks, and ETFs for as little as $5 to meet all the critical financial goals and milestones in your life.
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INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below:
Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
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Editor's Note: Options are not suitable for all investors. Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire amount invested in a short period of time. Please see the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options.
An option is a financial instrument whose value is tied to an underlying asset; this is known as a derivative. Instead of buying an asset, such as company stock, outright, an options contract allows the investor to potentially profit from price changes in the underlying asset without actually owning it.
Because options contracts may be much cheaper to come by than the underlying asset, trading options can offer investors leverage that may result in significant gains if the market moves in the right direction. But options are very risky, and also can result in steep losses. That’s why investors must meet certain criteria with their brokerage firm before being able to trade options.
What Is Options Trading?
Knowing how options trading works requires understanding what an option is, and what the advantages, disadvantages, and risks of options trading may be.
What Are Options?
Buying an option is simply purchasing a contract that represents the right but not the obligation to buy or sell a security at a fixed price by a specified date.
• The options buyer (or holder) has the right, but not the obligation to buy or sell a certain asset, like shares of stock, at a certain price by a specific date (the expiration date of the contract). Buyers pay a premium for each options contract; this is the total price of the option.
• The options seller (or writer), who is on the opposite side of the trade, has the obligation to buy or sell the underlying asset at the agreed-upon price, aka the strike price, if the options holder exercises their contract.
Options buyers and sellers may use options if they think an asset’s price will go up (or down), to offset risk elsewhere in their portfolio, or to increase the profitability of existing positions. There are many different options-trading strategies.
💡 Quick Tip: Options can be a cost-efficient way to place certain trades, because you typically purchase options contracts, not the underlying security. That said, options trading can be risky, and best done by those who are not entirely new to investing.
Why Are Options Called Derivatives?
An option is considered a derivative instrument because it is based on the underlying asset: An options holder doesn’t purchase the asset, just the options contract. That way, they can make trades based on anticipated price movements of the underlying asset, without having to own the asset itself.
In stock options, one options contract typically represents 100 shares.
Other types of derivatives include futures, swaps, and forwards. Options that exist for futures contracts, such as the S&P 500 index or oil futures, are also popular derivatives.
What is the difference between trading using margin vs. options? Having a margin account does offer investors leverage for other trades (e.g. trading stocks). But while a brokerage may require you to have a margin account in order to trade options, you can’t purchase options contracts using margin. That said, an options seller (writer) might be able to use margin to sell options contracts.
When purchased, call options give the options holder the right to buy an asset.
Here’s how a call option might work. The options buyer purchases a call option tied to Stock A with a strike price of $40 and expiration three months from now. Stock A is currently trading at $35 per share.
If Stock A appreciates to a value higher than $40 per share, the option holder may choose to exercise the contract, or sell their option for a premium. If the value of Stock A goes up, the value of the call option should, all else being equal, also go up.
The opposite would also be true. If shares of Stock A go down, the value of the call should, all else being equal, go down.
If the options holder wanted to exercise their call option, with American-style options they have until the expiration date to do so (with European-style options, the option must be exercised on the expiration date). When they exercise, they can buy 100 shares at the strike price.
Put Options 101
Meanwhile, put options give holders the right to sell an asset at a specified price by a certain date.
Here’s how a put trade might work. A trader buys a put option tied to Stock B with a strike price of $45 and expiration three months from now. Stock B is currently trading at $50 per share.
If the price of Stock B falls to $44, below the strike price, the options holder can exercise the put. Alternatively, the value of the option would likely also rise in this scenario, as owners of Stock B might look to lock in profits and sell shares before the stock falls further. A scenario like that may give the option holder the choice of selling the option itself for a profit.
What Is the Put-Call Ratio?
A stock’s put-call ratio is the number of put options traded in the market relative to calls. It is one measure that investors look at to determine sentiment toward the shares. A high put-call ratio indicates bearish market sentiment, whereas a low one signals more bullish views.
💡 Quick Tip: It’s smart to invest in a range of assets so that you’re not overly reliant on any one company or market to do well. For example, by investing in different sectors you can add diversification to your portfolio, which may help mitigate some risk factors over time.
Options Trading Terminology
• The strike price is the price at which the option holder can exercise the contract. If the holder decides to exercise the option, the seller is obligated to fulfill the contract.
• With American-style options the expiration is the date by which the contract needs to be exercised. The closer an option is to its expiration, the lower the value of the contract. That is what’s called the time value.
• Premiums reflect the value of an option; it’s the current market price for that option contract.
• Call options are considered in the money, when the shares of the underlying stock trade above the strike price. Put options are in the money when the underlying shares are trading below the strike price.
• Options are at the money when the strike price is equal to the price of the asset in the market. Contracts that are at the money tend to see more volume or trading activity, as holders look to exercise the options.
• Options are out of the money when the underlying security’s price is below the strike price of a call option, or above the strike price of a put option. For example, if shares of Stock C are trading at $50 each and the call option’s strike price is $60, the contracts are out of the money.
For an out-of-the-money put option, the shares of Stock C may be trading at $60, while the put’s strike price is $50, so therefore, not yet exercisable.
• Rho is the sensitivity of the option to interest rates.
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How to Trade Options
The market for stock options is typically open from 9:30am to 4pm ET, Monday through Friday, while futures options can usually be traded almost 24 hours.
This is how you may get started trading options:
1. Pick a Platform
Log into your investment account with your chosen brokerage.
2. Get Approved
Your brokerage may base your approval on your trading experience. Trading options is riskier than trading stocks because losses can be steeper. That’s why not all investors should trade options.
3. Place Your Trade
Decide on an underlying asset and options strategy and place your trade.
4. Manage Your Position
Monitor your position to know whether your options are in, at or out of the money.
Basic Options Trading Strategies
Options offer a way for holders to express their views of an asset’s price through a trade. But traders may also use options to hedge or offset risk from other assets that they own. Here are some important options trading strategies to know:
Long Put, Long Call
In simple terms, if the buyer purchases an option — be it a put or a call — they are ‘long’. A long put or long call position means the holder owns a put or call option.
• A holder with a long call strategy effectively locks in a lower purchase price for the underlying asset in case it increases in value.
• A holder with a long put strategy effectively locks in a higher sales price for the underlying asset in case it decreases in value.
Covered and Uncovered Calls
If an options writer sells call options on a stock or other underlying security they also own outright, the options are referred to as covered calls. The selling of options helps the writer generate an additional stream of income while committing to sell the shares they own for the predetermined price if the option is exercised.
Uncovered calls, or naked calls, also exist, when options writers sell call options without owning the underlying asset. However, this is a much riskier trade since the exercising of the option would oblige the options seller to buy the underlying asset in the open market, in order to sell the stock to the option buyer.
Note that the seller wants the option to stay out of the money so that they can keep the premium (which is how the seller makes money).
Spreads
Option spread trades involve buying and selling an equal number of options for the same underlying asset but at different strikes or expirations.
A bull spread is a strategy in which a trader expects the price of the underlying asset to appreciate.
A bearish spread is a strategy in which a trader expects a decline in the price of the underlying asset.
Horizontal spreads involve buying and selling options with the same strike prices but different expiration dates. Vertical spreads are created through the simultaneous buying and selling of options with the same expiration dates but different strike prices.
Straddles and Strangles
Strangles and straddles in options trading allow traders to profit from a move in the price of the underlying asset, rather than the direction of the move.
In a straddle, a trader buys both calls and puts with the same strike prices and expiration dates. The options buyer would pocket a profit if the asset price posts a big move, regardless of whether it rises or falls.
In a strangle, the holder also buys both calls and puts but with different strike prices.
Pros & Cons of Options Trading
Like any other type of investment, or investment strategy, trading options comes with certain advantages and disadvantages that investors should consider before going down this road.
Pros of Options Trading
• Options trading is complex and involves risks, but for experienced investors who understand the fundamentals of the contracts and how to trade them, options can be a useful tool to make investments while putting up a smaller amount of money upfront.
• The practice of selling options to collect income can also be a way for writers who are seeking income to collect premiums consistently. This was a popular strategy particularly in the years leading up to 2020 as the stock market tended to be quiet and interest rates were low.
• Options can also be a useful way to protect a portfolio. Some investors offset risk with options. For instance, buying a put option while also owning the underlying stock allows the options holder to lock in a selling price, for a specified period of time, in case the security declines in value, thereby limiting potential losses.
Cons of Options Trading
• A key risk in trading options is that losses can be outsized relative to the cost of the contract. When an option is exercised, the seller of the option is obligated to buy or sell the underlying asset, even if the market is moving against them.
• While premium costs are generally low, they can still add up. The cost of options premiums can eat away at an investor’s profits. For instance, while an investor may net a profit from a stock holding, if they used options to purchase the shares, they’d have to subtract the cost of the premiums when calculating the stock profit.
• Because options expire within a specific time window, there is only a short period of time for an investor’s thesis to play out. Securities like stocks don’t have expiration dates.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Options Trading
Pros
Cons
Additional income
Potential outsized losses
Hedging portfolio risk
Premiums can add up
Less money upfront than owning an asset outright
Limited time for trades to play out
The Takeaway
Options are derivative contracts on an underlying asset (an options contract for a certain stock is typically worth 100 shares). Options are complex, high-risk instruments, and investors need to understand how they work in order to avoid steep losses.
When an investor buys a call option, it gives them the right but not the obligation to buy the underlying asset by the expiration date. When an investor buys a put option, it gives them the right but not the obligation to sell the underlying asset by the expiration date.
The contracts work differently for options sellers/writers.
The seller or writer of a call option has the obligation to sell the underlying asset at the agreed strike price to the options holder, if the holder chooses to exercise the option on or before the expiration.
The seller of a put option has the obligation to buy the shares of the underlying asset from the put option holder at the agreed strike price.
Investors who are ready to try their hand at options trading despite the risks involved, might consider checking out SoFi’s options trading platform offered through SoFi Securities, LLC. The platform’s user-friendly design allows investors to buy put and call options through the mobile app or web platform, and get important metrics like breakeven percentage, maximum profit/loss, and more with the click of a button.
Plus, SoFi offers educational resources — including a step-by-step in-app guide — to help you learn more about options trading. Trading options involves high-risk strategies, and should be undertaken by experienced investors. Currently, investors can not sell options on SoFi Active Invest®.
Invest with as little as $5 with a SoFi Active Investing account.
SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below:
Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.
Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire amount invested in a short period of time. Before an investor begins trading options they should familiarize themselves with the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options . Tax considerations with options transactions are unique, investors should consult with their tax advisor to understand the impact to their taxes. Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs): Investors should carefully consider the information contained in the prospectus, which contains the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other relevant information. You may obtain a prospectus from the Fund company’s website or by email customer service at https://sofi.app.link/investchat. Please read the prospectus carefully prior to investing.
Shares of ETFs must be bought and sold at market price, which can vary significantly from the Fund’s net asset value (NAV). Investment returns are subject to market volatility and shares may be worth more or less their original value when redeemed. The diversification of an ETF will not protect against loss. An ETF may not achieve its stated investment objective. Rebalancing and other activities within the fund may be subject to tax consequences.
Investment Risk: Diversification can help reduce some investment risk. It cannot guarantee profit, or fully protect in a down market.
