Maximise your ISA before the 5 April deadline.
Market turbulence can easily cause you to pause or prompt second thoughts.
Volatility is never comfortable, especially when it is linked to unsettling headlines such as the conflict in Iran. It is natural to feel tempted to wait on the sidelines until markets seem calmer again. But history suggests that uncertainty is not always a reason to delay.
With the ISA deadline fast approaching, now could be a useful moment to revisit a few enduring lessons.
1: Short-term shocks do not usually define long-term returns
Geopolitical events can cause sharp market moves, but they rarely determine long-term investment outcomes on their own.
Over the years, investors have had to contend with wars, recessions, commodity spikes and political crises, yet markets have repeatedly recovered as attention returned to earnings, valuations and long-term growth. Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust (TEMIT), launched in 1989, has invested through many such episodes. The path has not always been smooth, but the long-term direction of travel has been one of growth.
2: Emerging markets still offer long-term growth potential
For many investors, emerging markets remain an important source of dynamism and long-term opportunity. They offer exposure to economies generating 65% of global GDP growth (1), as well as to structural growth trends that can be harder to find elsewhere, including rising incomes, urbanisation, innovation and expanding consumer demand.
Just as importantly, many investors remain underexposed to emerging markets relative to their long-term potential. The so-called “Sell America” trade is a reminder that some investors are increasingly questioning whether portfolios have become too concentrated in the US.
We believe 2025 marked the beginning of a multi-year bull run for emerging markets, which are home to innovative businesses competing successfully worldwide in industries such as advanced semiconductors, memory chips, electric vehicles, and renewable energy, many of which are held in TEMIT’s portfolio.
In that context, periods of volatility can be an opportunity for you to build or increase allocations gradually, rather than a reason to retreat.
3: Waiting for calm can carry a cost too
Some of the best opportunities to invest rarely feel comfortable at the time. If you are wary about committing a lump sum, drip-feeding money into markets can be a sensible way to smooth volatility and begin building the exposure you want.
Time in the market has often mattered more than timing the market.
The ISA deadline is approaching
There is also a practical consideration for UK investors: the tax year ends on 5 April. Any unused ISA allowance will be lost after that date, so making use of this year’s allowance could be a valuable step if you are looking to build long-term growth exposure in a tax-efficient way.
How to Invest with Us
Shares in TEMIT qualify as an investment which can be held through an ISA. TEMIT is available through a stocks and shares ISA from a number of different companies. As individuals’ financial circumstances will differ, we recommend you talk with a qualified financial adviser regarding the options available to you before making investment decisions.