In my previous articles, I gave a comprehensive introduction on how to invest in the Philippine stock market, particularly talking about the basic principles that each prospective investors should understand. In this article we are going to discuss the advantages of investing in the stock market.

I have stated before that the stock market is just another vehicle of investment. A good question to ask yourself is why should you choose to invest in the stock market. What advantage would you get in investing in the stock market ?

The answer to such questions could be as follows. Note that the examples given refer to Philippine based companies and currency. Visit my blog if you want to view the entire article.

1.) Investing in the Stock Market has potential for great returns – Every financial expert would tell you that when the market has a potential to go up, it really goes up. Returns could range to as high as 30 % to 200 %+ per annum or even more. In the long term it is expected that you would really profit at lot. In 1997, the price of Globe Telecom Inc. (GLO) stocks was only P152.00 per share. Buying the minimum board lot which was 10 shares during that time would have only cost you about P 1,520.00. Now the price per share of Globe is P 1,620.00+. The value of those shares is right now P 16,200. That means in ten years time your money has grown times ten or a 1000 percent increase. It also means that you have a return of an average of 30 % per annum. Not bad compared to putting it in a time deposit account at less than 4 % per annum. You might also be interested to know that the Philippine stock market is at its highest these days. A bull run is still expected for the next 2 to 3 years. So hold on to your horses, I mean bulls and make the best out of the bull run.

2.)”Ownership” in the companies that you are investing in. – Wouldn’t it be so cool to have your own Jollibee franchise ? However the investment of 20 to 25 million pesos does not make it so cool considering that you also have to put in time and effort to run the store. So instead of owning a Jollibee franchise why not buy Jollibee instead through buying shares of stocks in the corporation ? The minimum board lot of JFC shares (Jollibee Foods Corporations – JFC) cost only P 5,000+. With this investment you indirectly own the more than 1414 stores in the Philippines and 175 in other countries not to mention Red Ribon, Chowking, Deli-France, A popular fastfood chain – Yonghe King in China and popular teahouse chain from Taiwan called Chun Shui Tang including Jollibee’s pilot restaurant “Tio Pepe’s Karinderia.” So next time you eat at Jollibee tell your friends and that you like to eat there because you “own part of the company.” You might want to own stocks of PLDT or Globe to help you become more prompt in paying your bills.

3.) You belong to a special group of people when you invest in the stock market -

When somebody will ask me to join a multi-level marketing scheme I always ask when the company started. The reason is that because if it started a long time ago, then my chances of recruiting other people will be slim because almost everybody I know has already been recruited.

However take note that investing in the stock market is not mutli-level marketing. Whether the market is saturated or not does not matter. But it is always good to know that we are among pioneers to take advantage of the potential of the market.

Most of those who invest in the stock market are from the class A and B segments of the population. An Asian Development Bank study done in 2005 revealed that only 600,000, out of the of the country’s 87 million population, invest in the stock market. This means that only 0.7 % of the population are involved in stock market trading.

Would you like to know more about investment strategies ? Visit the blog of Zigfred Diaz where he writes about several interesting topics such as investments, money management, business, making money online and Stock market investing

Related posts:

1. Basic investment principles in the stock market – Part 3 of 4
2. Reasons For Investing In The Stock Market – Part 2
3. The advantages of investing in the stock market – Part 2
4. Principles Of Investments In The Stock Market – Part 1
5. What Reasons are there to Invest In the Stock Market?