Karennina, I meant ISA Stocks & Shares in UK.
Davybill, ISA S&Ss are protected to investment funds going broke to £50,000 per fund. There are no guarantees about stock markets at all - as I'm sure you know. Are they more or less risky than Turkish banks? Make your guess. But with US markets giving 26% return per annum it is less than 4 years to get your original stake back if you take the extra out each year - which I do.