Saturday, March 05, 2011

Knowledge series- what are the factoors which influance investment decision?

Past market trends
Sometimes history repeats itself; sometimes markets learn from their mistakes. You need to understand how various asset classes have performed in the past before planning your finances.


Your risk appetite
The ability to tolerate risk differs from person to person. It depends on factors such as your financial responsibilities, your environment, your basic personality, etc. Therefore, understanding your capacity to take on risk becomes a crucial factor in investment decision making.


Investment horizon
How long can you keep the money invested? The longer the time-horizon, the greater are the returns that you should expect. Further, the risk element reduces with time.


Investible surplus
How much money are you able to keep aside for investments? The investible surplus plays a vital role in selecting from various asset classes as the minimum investment amounts differ and so do the risks and returns.


Investment need
How much money do you need at the time of maturity? This helps you determine the amount of money you need to invest every month or year to reach the magic figure.


Expected returns
The expected rate of returns is a crucial factor as it will guide your choice of investment. Based on your expectations, you can decide whether you want to invest heavily into equities or debt or balance your portfolio

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