There are two key reasons why investors should be building up their portfolios now to grow their wealth, affirms the boss of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations.

Nigel Green, the founder and CEO of deVere Group, is speaking out as many global financial markets, including the UK’s FTSE and China’s Shanghai Composite have tumbled this week, whilst indices in the U.S. have risen.

Mr Green comments: “Right now the markets are volatile.  They are up and then they are down.  But rational investors should be using this turbulence to their financial advantage.

“There are two key reasons why investors should be building up their portfolios now, in these more volatile times, in order to grow their wealth.”

He continues: “First, are long-term benefits. No-one can accurately predict when the markets will finally reach the bottom – it could be a month, it could be six months, who knows.  But what we do know is that over the longer-term the performance of stock markets is fairly predictable: they go up.

“Indeed, for this reason, over a longer time horizon, investing in equities is almost universally recognised as one of the best ways people can accumulate wealth.

“By not topping up and diversifying portfolios now, investors are pushing back the longer-term benefits they could be starting to reap.  Why forsake the long-term gains that would be generated on money invested now?

“Second, the buying opportunities.  The see-sawing markets are a chance for investors to put new money into markets at lower prices.  A slump in the market means that there are high quality equities available at more attractive prices.

“Of course, no–one knows for sure what will happen in the immediate future but, as stock markets typically rise over a longer-term period, now is the time to capitalise on the more favourable prices of decent stocks.”

deVere CEO Nigel Green concludes: “Investors would be urged not to sit on the sidelines waiting for calmer waters in the markets.  Instead they should ride the wave of volatility for their longer-term wealth, security and freedom.”

Earlier this month, deVere Group released the findings of a new poll that found that three quarters of high-net-worth individuals plan to increase contributions to their investment portfolios in the first half of 2016.