Lets say you have 15 years time horizon, will buying SPY etc.. the next few months over time be a good idea? I know a lot of people focus on the short term but what if someone is 18 and wants to start investing.
I've been building long-term equity positions since November in stocks that took a beating but I believe are excellent long-term holds provided you can overlook the near-term market gyrations. So, yes. For a 10-15-20+ year horizon, being able to own a few thousand shares of (for example) GE for under $10, or a few hundred shares of CAT under $23 is a value opportunity, or a few hundred shares of IBM under $80 is a fantastic opportunity IF IF IF IF you enter your position over time (cost averaging) and are prepared to use marketplace volatility as opportunity to buy more (assuming your investment thesis remains the same on the stock), not for panic. My own 2 cents, FWIW.