Scale peaks for profit

FIVE-MINUTE GUIDE TO... TIMING THE STOCK MARKET

- By Harvey Jones

THIS year has been another wild ride for stock market investors, but today they're right at the top of the rollercoaster.

Markets plunged in April after Donald Trump shocked the world with aggressive new tariffs, then rebounded just as fast after he backtracked a week later.

Since then, shares have soared.

Global indices are breaking records and even the long-lagging FTSE 100 has joined the party, rising 10% year-to-date to around 9,100-just below its all-time high. Investors will also have pocketed dividend income, with average yields sitting at 3.5%.

Despite that, many savers, particularly pensioners, remain wary of shares and prefer to park their money in cash.

That caution isn't entirely misplaced. This year has been more volatile than most expected.

Pacome Breton, head of portfolio management at online investment manager Nutmeg, said even those braced for a bumpy ride may be surprised at how turbulent markets have been.