MENU Are we about to see another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy cheap UK shares? Kevin Godbold | Friday, 26th November, 2021 Image source: Getty Images. The FTSE 100 lurched lower this morning following yesterday’s breaking news about a new variant of the Covid-19 virus. The UK government has imposed “new precautionary travel restrictions” and added six African countries to its travel red list. Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has the new variant “under investigation”. However, no instances of the variant have yet been found in the UK. 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 Markets around the world are reeling from the coronavirus pandemic… and with so many great companies trading at what look to be ‘discount-bin’ prices, now could be the time for savvy investors to snap up some potential bargains. But whether you’re a newbie investor or a seasoned pro, deciding which stocks to add to your shopping list can be a daunting prospect during such unprecedented times. Fortunately, The Motley Fool UK analyst team have short-listed five companies that they believe STILL boast significant long-term growth prospects despite the global upheaval… We’re sharing the names in a special FREE investing report that you can download today. And if you’re 50 or over, we believe these stocks could be a great fit for any well-diversified portfolio. Click here to claim your free copy now! Acting swiftly The government’s response comes after several public voices criticised slower actions taken earlier in the pandemic. And maybe the swift move is justifiable because of the nature of this new strain of the virus. The gov.uk website explains that the new variant includes “a large number of spike protein mutations” alongside “mutations in other parts of the viral genome”. And the government said these potentially biologically significant mutations could change the behaviour of the virus regarding vaccines, treatments and transmissibility. Although the future evolution of the virus is unknowable, I’m not expecting another crash in the markets as we saw in 2020. And that’s even if this new variant gains some traction. Back then, the virus was completely unknown before it hit the world. And there were no vaccines or proven treatments for the disease. So, I reckon the stock market crash developed because of the unknowns and the widespread shutting down of economic activity. It led to some dubbing it a once-in-a-lifetime event and an opportunity to buy cheap shares. My guess is the world of science will likely be all over the latest developments regarding the virus. And treatments and vaccines will evolve to fight the threat. However, nothing is certain, of course. Investing for the long haul But I’m inclined to use worrisome news affecting the stock market as an opportunity to search for quality stocks selling at better prices. It’s been reassuring for me to see how businesses have been so resourceful and adapted to the new world featuring coronavirus. I believe many enterprises will adapt again if they need to. And in the long term, I may be pleased that I bought shares when they were on offer. And in the past, well-known investors have done well with stocks by adopting a long-term perspective. Warren Buffett is known for shopping for shares when the economic clouds are in the sky or when most people are worried about something. It’s when he tends to get the best prices for the stocks of what he calls “wonderful” businesses. And he once said of the other side of the equation: “You pay a high price for a cheery consensus.” So, with my long-term investing perspective, I’m shopping for shares and working hard with my watch list. There’s some worrisome news in the headlines right now. But I’m trying to look ahead and imagine what businesses and stocks will look like in five, 10, 15 and 20 years from now. Although nothing is certain or guaranteed, I reckon many will have done well by then. I don’t think this new variant will cause a once-in-a-lifetime-style crash any time soon, so I’m buying shares now to hold for the long term. However, I could be wrong with my assessment of the situation. Nevertheless, I'm starting my research here... 5 Stocks For Trying To Build Wealth After 50 Markets around the world are reeling from the coronavirus pandemic… And with so many great companies still trading at what look to be ‘discount-bin’ prices, now could be the time for savvy investors to snap up some potential bargains. But whether you’re a newbie investor or a seasoned pro, deciding which stocks to add to your shopping list can be a daunting prospect during such unprecedented times. Fortunately, The Motley Fool is here to help: our UK Chief Investment Officer and his analyst team have short-listed five companies that they believe STILL boast significant long-term growth prospects despite the global lock-down… You see, here at The Motley Fool we don’t believe “over-trading” is the right path to financial freedom in retirement; instead, we advocate buying and holding (for AT LEAST three to five years) 15 or more quality companies, with shareholder-focused management teams at the helm. That’s why we’re sharing the names of all five of these companies in a special investing report that you can download today for FREE. If you’re 50 or over, we believe these stocks could be a great fit for any well-diversified portfolio, and that you can consider building a position in all five right away. Click here to claim your free copy of this special investing report now! Kevin Godbold has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Our 6 'Best Buys Now' Shares Renowned stock-picker Mark Rogers and his analyst team at The Motley Fool UK have named 6 shares that they believe UK investors should consider buying NOW. So if you’re looking for more stock ideas to try and best position your portfolio today, then it might be a good day for you. Because we're offering a full 33% off your first year of membership to our flagship share-tipping service, backed by our 'no quibbles' 30-day subscription fee refund guarantee. Simply click below to discover how you can take advantage of this. Enter Your Email Address I would like to receive emails from you about product information and offers from The Fool and its business partners. Each of these emails will provide a link to unsubscribe from future emails. More information about how The Fool collects, stores, and handles personal data is available in its Privacy Statement. See all posts by Kevin Godbold One FTSE “Snowball Stock” With Runaway Revenues From 2015-2019, this UK company saw its revenues increase 38.6%, its net income go up 19.7x, and since 2012, revenues from regular users have almost DOUBLED. We think the opportunity here really is astounding. In fact, one of its own board members recently snapped up 25,000 shares using their own money... So why sit on the side lines a minute longer? You could have the full details on this company right now. To get your copy of this research report for FREE, simply click the button below. Click here for all the details! 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