It’s been a year of tough lessons for retail investors, many of whom only started their trading journey at the height of last year’s bull market run.
Those were the days when Bitcoin hit a record high of $68,000, meme stocks were all the rage and Big Tech shares continued their winning streak on the back of accelerated digitalisation plans, as millions of people worked and shopped from home.
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Watch: US Federal Reserve chief warns of 'pain' in reducing inflation
But what a different world it is now.
Global economic uncertainty — compounded by the Russia-Ukraine war, the supply chain crunch, rising inflation and higher interest rates — has increased volatility in financial markets, causing them to fall into bear territory this year and end the 13-year bull run.
That’s right, a 13-year bull run. No wonder we are feeling a bit shell-shocked when we log into our investment accounts these days and find ourselves in a sea of red as the likes of stocks, bonds and cryptocurrencies struggle to find their way back to positive territory.
Even safe-haven stalwarts such as gold are failing to calm our frazzled nerves as we track our falling investment portfolios.
For investment novices — many from Generation Z — it is the first bear market they’ve experienced, having been too young (or not yet born) to remember the 2008 global financial crisis.
While it’s difficult to watch all that hard-earned money you ploughed into your investment portfolio fall in value, it’s also important to remain calm and avoid panic selling.
Remember, you are not alone: millions of retail investors around the world are in the same boat, some more experienced than others.
Here are the top three investment lessons I learnt this year that will, hopefully, help you as well.
Lesson 1: doom scrolling will not make your investments rise
Earlier this year, I fell into the trap of doom scrolling everything I could find about the Bitcoin crash, bear market, the effect of interest rate rises on my finances and general economic uncertainty in a quest to find a spark of positive news, a light at the end of the tunnel, as they say.
Of course, it got worse — the cost of living kept rising, central banks started raising interest rates to rein in inflation and markets and cryptocurrencies continued their trajectory south.
I found myself logging into my investment and crypto accounts numerous times a day to check how much I’d lost.
That is when I realised the negative effect it was having on my mental health, so I forced myself to take a step back and put an end to the doom scrolling and constant checking of my accounts.
The fact is, we cannot control the outside forces that have pushed our investments into negative territory.
But what we can do is control our emotions — and keeping them in check means no longer allowing yourself to fall down numerous rabbit holes because of doom scrolling.
Trust me, you will sleep better at night when you stop.
Lesson 2: what goes up must come down — and rise again
Thirteen years is a long time for stock markets to remain in bull territory and it was only a matter of time before something happened to bring them back to earth again.
We thought that something would be the Covid-19 pandemic. And for a brief period in March 2020, when most of the world went into lockdown, global stock markets did crash.
Stock markets rise and fall all the time, which means that we just have to get used to the highs and lows of investing - and not lose sight of our financial goals
Felicity Glover
But trillions of dollars in government stimulus during movement restrictions meant that cashed-up, bored people had time on their hands and developed an interest in trading, giving stock markets a new lease on life.
As I wrote in a column last week, all good things must come to an end.
But the positive news is that a bear market historically lasts about 289 days, which means there is less than a month to go for this one to run its course. That is, of course, if the experts are correct.
That said, stock markets rise and fall all the time, which means that we just have to get used to the highs and lows of investing — and not lose sight of our financial goals.
Lesson 3: stay focused on the long term and buy the dip
Panic selling when markets crash is one of the worst things you can do as a retail investor.
It’s a lesson I learnt way back in 2008, when Lehman Brothers — the bank once considered too big to fail — failed (rather) spectacularly and triggered the global financial crisis.
“Buy low, sell high” might be a cliche these days, but it remains true.
That’s why financial experts always recommend that you remain calm and focus on your long-term investment strategy during a market crash.
Do not waver from this, because it’s an excellent opportunity to snap up value stocks at lower prices and hold them for a long time.
As famed billionaire investor Warren Buffett once said: “If you aren't willing to own a stock for 10 years, don't even think about owning it for 10 minutes.”
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
Honeymoonish
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The%20Roundup
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Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
