The writer is senior adviser at Engine AI and Investa, and former chief global equity strategist at Citigroup
Instant liquidity is a true wonder of modern finance. If that rainy day does arrive, just press a few electronic buttons and your portfolio can be turned into precious cash at minimal cost. No need to ring your broker or rummage through share certificates up in the attic. But, like most good things in life, liquidity must be used responsibly. Its abuse can seriously damage your wealth.
Let’s start by listing the benefits of financial market liquidity. As a retail investor, you can now get institutional-level access to a vast array of assets traded across global markets. Exchange traded funds allow you to adopt sophisticated investment strategies previously only accessible via expensive discretionary fund managers. You can diversify easily. You can hedge your portfolio if markets are looking frothy. This can all be done at very low cost.