I invested in unit trust for many many years ago. I admit that, at one time, I consider investing in stocks as risky. I only dare to invest in blue chip stock and my first was Maybank, followed by Public Bank. Both I hold until now.
Recently, a church member asked me if Christian can invests in stocks or unit trust? Is it risky? Will the value go below capital? I said investment can go up and down but over the long term, they go up. I have my result in unit trust and stocks.
I know many people consider investment in stocks as speculative. As long as an instrument can potentially go below its capital value, it is deemed risky, speculative and one must stay away. Ask Warren Buffett and he will tell you risky doesn't mean the fluctuation in market value.
Oh, Warren Buffett doesn't think investing in stocks is risky. He studied his stocks in depth before buying with a "margin of safety". He doesn't simply bought something.
Does the scripture prohibits believer to invests in stocks? I began to do some online searching. OF course, I will not touch any scripture here because I think I am not well learnt yet.
Of all the information, the one thing that they all remind are we are the steward of god's money. God wants us to manage the money He entrusted to us. He may want some of us to invest in low yield instruments and He may want some of us to invest in high yield instruments.
It is clear He wants us to know we do not know what will happen in the future. We should trust Him. Therefore, we are suppose to diversify our money into many portions because we do not know which will go wrong - but by diversifying we are ready. We have many instruments on hands - cash, money market fund, bonds, shares, REITs, gold and silver etc.
One of the issue we need to consider is our money may be for God's use in the future. And inflation is eating the value of our money if we let the money sitting idly in savings accounts. One of the way is to invest our money in a business. A business can be privately held or publicly held. In either way, if we join the business, we are the shareholder (or partner) of the business. The difference is whether it is listed or not.
If I join in a business, does it make me participate in a speculative or risky investment? If doing a proper business is non speculative, buying stocks with non-speculative attitude shouldn't be prohibited right? Let's take an example of a poultry business. Let's say I partner with a friend to open a chicken farm to produce eggs and we split the profit. Let's say at the same time, I also buy a poultry stocks keep it for the dividend and price appreciation. Any difference?
We know business may make money or lose money because of something happens.So, if some incidents occur and the eggs price drop. Both businesses lose money. I don't get profit sharing from my first business and nobody wants to buy my share in the business. For my stocks, I don't get dividend or worse still stock price drop. Are these two scenarios the same? Does the price drop make the business speculative and thus prohibited?
My observations are that we should not fall into greed or fear because of the change of the figure of our money. In fear and greed, we do not trust God. I admit I cannot be 100% emotionally un-disturbed when seeing the price fluctuate but I keep telling myself not to. My Maybank and Public Bank shares were down during the financial crisis but they are still doubling my value after all these years.
I think we should choose those management that are doing the business with dignity; treating minority shareholder with equal pride; genuinely growing the business.
Of course we should prohibit from investing in shares dealing in religiously sinful activities such as gambling, tobacco, liquor, vice etc.
However, it seems like the best instrument is physical gold and silver because they carry real value. Alas, it is so difficult and unsafe to keep physical gold and silver.
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