ISA virgin advice

[Ignis Fatuus]

Would you say the market is at or near a peak at the moment so higher risk of losing out over a shorter term, so better if money can be tied up for longer to ride out any imminent troughs?

If I knew that ......

[PAH]

I suppose the stock market is like the housing market. If you happen to get in at the top of a bubble be prepared to wait a long time for you to get your money back. Which is fine if you don't need the money while waiting.

At least with the stock market you can drip feed your money in via an index tracker as Luke suggested, to minimise losses in the troughs.

Everything you do as an investment with money is a gamble after all.

[lukemg]

Yes, although the investments are a bit more liquid than with housing. But it IS gambling, even if more than one horse can win and you decide when the race stops....Hence you don't bet the farm or chase the latest fad or use money you will really need soon.
In terms of timing, really regret not investing in 09 when everything was heading south, that would be at least a 50% return by now - blood on the streets and all that...
Hold your nerve, keep investing, get rich slowly. You might find you really enjoy the process and finding out more and it's a low maintenence plan B.