Should You Really Invest in the Stock Market Right Now? History Offers a Clear Answer
2026-09-27 16:09
•Jennifer Saibil •The Motley Fool
••• ••• Axe Cap view
Ignore Timing FOMO: Why Regular Investing Still Wins
Trying to pick market tops is futile; steady investing beats timing every time.
The recent hype around the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hitting all-time highs—despite sky-high valuations measured by the Shiller CAPE—has many debating if now is the right time to invest. History tells us this is a fool’s errand. Research from Charles Schwab confirms that investors who put money in regularly, regardless of market highs or lows, earn returns nearly as good as those who perfectly time the market (which is virtually impossible). For South African investors, this means focusing less on nail-biting market peaks and more on consistent contributions into well-run JSE stocks or ETFs. Companies like Naspers and MTN, alongside stable banks like Standard Bank, offer solid frameworks for steady growth amid volatility. The rand’s USD/ZAR pair tends to swing with global risk sentiment, so be mindful of currency moves impacting offshore earnings. The only catch: a sudden, deep economic shock could hurt valuations across the board, making this approach tougher. Still, long-term, disciplined investing remains a sensible call. this is just our opinion and not financial advice
Keep putting money into your selected JSE stocks and ETFs regardless of market noise, with special attention to Naspers and Standard Bank. Avoid large swings based purely on market timing fears.
- Naspers
- Standard Bank
- USD/ZAR
- sharp economic downturn globally
- rand volatility impacting offshore earnings
7/10
While the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have more than doubled since 2023 and the Shiller CAPE ratio has reached levels not seen since the dot-com bubble, the article argues that market timing is ineffective. Instead, consistent regular investing—even at market highs—historically delivers strong results, with studies showing steady investors achieve returns nearly as good as perfect market timers.
Our take is based on reporting first published by The Motley Fool.