Deciding where to invest your money is one of the most important in the financial management of your life. The capital market offers a wide range of investment options, at different levels of risk – starting with safe assets such as government bonds, and ending with risky growth stocks.
How do you choose correctly between the alternatives, what is the optimal combination of assets for you and how can you achieve consistent growth over time while managing risks? In this article we will review the main principles of building and managing an investment portfolio that works for you.
Main asset types for investment
First, it is important to understand the risk and reward characteristics of the different types of assets available for your choice:
Shares: Shares of public companies traded on the stock exchange have high growth potential but also come with high risk.
Bonds – government or corporate bonds. This is a product with a high level of safety but with low growth potential.
Real estate – investing in profitable real estate assets can lead to stable growth with current returns from rents and with an increase in value in the long term. However, it usually requires a high initial capital compared to other investment avenues.
Foreign exchange – investments in foreign currencies – this investment is exposed to high volatility and is an option to protect against inflation.
Alternative investments – a variety of types of investments such as gold, commodities and non-tradable investments.
Spreading risks through a balanced investment portfolio
A central principle in investments is to spread the risks over as wide a range of assets as possible, in order to minimize the probability of a significant loss.
An example of a balanced and diversified investment portfolio is:
60% shares
30% corporate bonds
10% real estate
Such diversification enables exposure to a relatively high growth potential, combined with stable and interest-bearing assets that constitute a safety net. This way you can more easily go through fluctuations and losses in the market and achieve a more consistent return over time.
Different approaches to risk management in an investment portfolio
There are several accepted approaches to managing investment portfolio risks. These are two contrasting approaches to managing an investment portfolio:
Creating an aggressive portfolio with leverage – this type of investment portfolio contains a high proportion of growth stocks leveraged with credit, for high profit potential but with extremely high risk.
Conservative portfolio management – consists mainly of safe bonds, savings plans and the integration of an alternative investment fund. Here the profit potential may be lower but there is high stability and security.
Effective risk management usually requires a balance between these two approaches according to the personal risk tolerance and personal characteristics of each investor.
Personal risk assessment and tolerance for loss
So how do you choose the right investment options? The main key is a quantitative assessment of your ability to bear risk.
You have to ask yourself:
What is the maximum rate of loss we will be willing to bear in the investment portfolio during a recession?
What is the level of volatility we can absorb? That is, do you prefer a stable and moderate portfolio or a portfolio with high growth potential even at the price of sharper volatility.
As the risk tolerance is higher, a higher weight of growth stocks can be considered. And vice versa – for investors who are interested in high security, it is better to choose relatively safe assets.
Synchronization with long-term financial goals
The optimal investment strategy is the one that achieves your long-term financial goals, while adjusting to your risk tolerance.
For example, let’s say you want to accumulate a certain amount for retirement in 25 years. It is possible to build a well-balanced portfolio between shares, bonds and real estate, which will enable gradual achievement of the goal with controlled risk.
It is important to examine the composition of the portfolio on an ongoing basis and make adjustments to the market conditions and the pace of progress towards the goal. This way you can ensure the achievement of the goal on time with an optimal return.
Recommended investment portfolios by age and life stage
The selection of the composition of the optimal investment portfolio also varies according to the preferences and unique characteristics of each investor, including the investor’s age and stage of life. These characteristics can help manage an investment portfolio that is suitable for every age and stage:
Young people up to the age of 30: At young ages, increased emphasis can be placed on growth stocks with a relatively high risk because over time there is a higher probability of bridging losses and experiencing growth.
Ages 30-50: In this age range, a balance between stocks and safer assets is often seen.
Nearing retirement over the age of 50: As you get closer to retirement, the tendency is to move to safer assets in order to preserve the capital accumulated over the years and not risk losing it.
However, it is important to remember that every rule has an exception and portfolio management should be done according to the personal circumstances of each investor.
A tool for managing and monitoring the performance of the investment portfolio
There are several quantitative tools that help manage and monitor the performance of investment portfolios over time:
Internal rate of return (IRR) – a typical measure of how venture capital funds (VC) measure performance and a rate used to evaluate the feasibility of an investment.
The Sharpe Index – measures the ratio between return and risk, as a benchmark for investment efficiency.
Standard deviation – applied to the annual rate of return of an investment and provides information on the historical volatility of that investment.
Correct use of these tools can help make better decisions for managing investment portfolios.
As you can see, building an optimal investment portfolio and its ongoing management is a complex and multifaceted task. The risk and reward characteristics of the variety of investment avenues must be understood, the risks must be spread correctly while adjusting their level to personal tolerance, and the performance against the set goals must be continuously monitored.
However, most investors are not knowledgeable enough in this area, and may make wrong decisions that harm their long-term returns. Therefore, it is recommended to use the services of a professional investment advisor who will guide you along the way in order to maximize the chances of success of your investments.
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