6 reasons why you should consider investing right now

Since it's difficult, if not impossible, to identify when markets are at their peak or have reached their bottom, most investors would be best served by simply investing their money on a regular basis without regard for timing.

"Historically, market timing has been practically impossible to do consistently. And those who've attempted it often fell behind investors who simply put their money to work on a consistent basis," says Malwal.

As the chart above shows, investing our hypothetical $5,000 at the start of every year or on a monthly basis would still have provided ample growth, and, in the case of the former, only slightly less than if our hypothetical investor had the ability to perfectly predict when the market had reached its bottom.

Our research also shows which stage of the business cycle you choose to put your money in the market may have very little effect on the average, long-term performance of your portfolio.