The Importance of Diversification when Investing

Written by imoney

Diversification is an undervalued and underrated key to successful investing. As an investor, you should build a well-diversified portfolio. It is not wise to put all your eggs in a single basket. To diversify your investments, you should invest in a wide array of opportunities, which may include real estate, bonds, small businesses, or stocks.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission provides an excellent example of this concept on its website:

“Have you ever noticed that street vendors often sell seemingly unrelated products – such as umbrellas and sunglasses? Initially, that may seem odd. After all, when would a person buy both items at the same time? Probably never – and that’s the point. Street vendors know that when it’s raining, it’s easier to sell umbrellas but harder to sell sunglasses. And when it’s sunny, the reverse is true. By selling both items – in other words, by diversifying the product line – the vendor can reduce the risk of losing money on any given day”

Source: www.sec.gov

It can be an effective risk-lowering technique to allocate your investments among different financial instruments in various industries. Your aim should be to maximize returns and minimize risk through investing in various instruments and industries as they react differently to the same economic events.

Diversification may not be a guarantee against losses but it could be an important component towards meeting long-term financial goals while minimizing risks. Here are some other logical benefits of diversifying investments.

• You lower your investment portfolio’s sensitivity to inevitable market swings. If you invest in areas that move in different or opposing directions, you may counter possible losses.
• Exposure to various industries may broaden your horizon. It could be an effective way to become familiar with the way various sectors behave. In the long run, you may be able to make better investment decisions.
• A number of studies have shown that diversified portfolios lead to more stable and consistent returns on investments. It may not be the case if your investment is concentrated in just a single instrument.
• It is more interesting to manage different investments. If you do so, you may realize that there is never a dull moment when it comes to dealing with your investing endeavors. Diversification may help you remain on your toes.

The best part: With a little reading and initiative, diversification costs very little to practice!

Time deposits are one popular way of investing with high security. Check the article on time deposit basics.