Thousands of Austrians are shocked these days when they look at their online bank account: many brokerage accounts show a minus compared to the beginning of the year. Should you throw your nerves away or stay calm? We asked Petra Zehetleitner-Ruderer of Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark. Her tip: keep a cool head and stick to your investment goal.
The war in Ukraine, skyrocketing energy prices and the risk of looming stagflation (a period when economic output stagnates or even declines, but inflation is high at the same time): all of this is shaking financial markets around the world. A drop in value of ten percent and more is currently not uncommon for brokerage accounts.
“Stay true to your strategy”
What does Petra Zehetleitner-Ruderer, Head of Savings and Investments at Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark say about this? “Every investment is subject to temporary fluctuations, the development is never linear. It is important to keep an eye on the investment objective and also to stay true to your strategy over the long term.”
However, the expert is optimistic that the situation will calm down again by the end of the year – provided the war does not spread further, energy prices recover and natural gas supplies continue.
Styria don’t panic
How is Styria reacting to the current situation? “Customers remain calm and do not get nervous. On the contrary: we are currently opening more depots than closing.” The explanation: “Low interest rates and higher inflation are increasing the demand for real assets, equities are a sensible option here. But always broad and spread worldwide. Sustainable solutions are the trend here; also in the sector ‘Smart Energy’ questions customers to additives.”
Expert Petra Zehetleitner-Ruderer therefore advises: “If you want to invest some of the savings in the long term, just start – the best time to start is always now. Time and diversification are the most important factors for a successful investment.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
