When should I buy international mutual funds?

[scp]

I'm guessing there will be a little bit of lag time for the international markets to hit a low- and I've been warned not muy emerging market mutual funds at this time- is there a guideline (I realize there's no such thing as a hard and fast rule) as to when the international markets pick up after the States?

Or should I just suck it up and start buying bits of international mutual funds now?

[kork13]

Or should I just suck it up and start buying bits of international mutual funds now?

That's what I'd say, and what I'm doing. Don't try to find the bottom--just buy now, and buy regularly. If you throw in some more money every 2 weeks or so, whenever the international markets (or domestic ones for that matter) find their true "bottom", you'll be a part of it. In the meantime, you're still getting into it all at a decent value.

[disneysteve]

Don't try and time the market - US or foreign. IT CAN'T BE DONE! Just invest steadily and regularly over time. When stocks are down, you get more shares for your money. When stocks are up, you get fewer shares. Over time, though, it averages out and you'll come out ahead.

[Broken Arrow]

Yeah, I'm surprised as to how anyone could arrive at the conclusion to "not buy at this time". Mutual funds, especially internationals, are incredibly difficult to evaluate. I can't do it if my life depends on it right now. That's why I don't actively trade foreign companies. I only buy those passively through mutual funds.

And that's also what I recommend as well. Just make sure you have proper asset allocation, and keep contributing into it.