Spreading Your Investments & Reducing Risk cont.

April 2, 2012 - PRLog -- Milestone AMG is regarded by its peers as one of the best Independent Financial Advisory firms in Europe. We believe that even though the markets change on a daily basis, the principles for investing always remain constant.

In this 2 part release we address the issue of risk. Obviously there can be no reward without risk, but how you manage that risk normally determines your rewards!

Investment Risks -Spreading Your Investments (Part 2)

Here we follow on from Part 1 and look to diversification, the choice between Growth or Security and finally other risks that you may or may not have considered.

Diversification

There is also a need to diversify within each type of investment. This is especially important in the case of share and bond investing, but can even be true of cash, where the risks are generally lowest. Putting all your money in one deposit account runs the risk that the interest paid on that account will change relative to other accounts. This could mean that the interest you receive is no longer as good as when you originally invested.

It is important to remember that all investments have a degree of risk. Even choosing not to invest is risky. The key is to get the right balance. Most people need a mix of assets in order to achieve their goals. The mix required depends upon individual needs.
By spreading your investments over a wide range of asset classes and different sectors, it is possible to avoid the risk that your portfolio becomes overly reliant on the performance of one particular asset. Key to diversification is selecting assets that behave in different ways.

Growth or Security

Some assets are said to be 'negatively correlated'. For instance, bonds and property often behave in a contrarian way to equities by offering lower, but less volatile returns.

This provides a 'safety net' by diversifying many of the risks associated with reliance upon one particular asset. It is also important to diversify across different 'styles' of investing, such as growth or value investing, as well as across different sizes of companies, different sectors and geographic regions.

Growth stocks are held as investors believe that their value is likely to grow significantly over the long term, whereas value shares are held because they are regarded as being cheaper than the intrinsic worth of the companies in which they represent a stake. By mixing styles that can out- or under-perform under different economic conditions, the overall risk rating of the investment portfolio is reduced. Picking the right combination of these depends on your risk profile, so it is essential to seek professional advice to ensure that your investment portfolio is commensurate with your attitude to investment risk.

The important thing to remember is that with investments, even if your investment goes down, you will only actually make a loss if you cash it in at that time. When you see your investment value fall, this is known as a paper loss, as it is not a real loss until you sell.
If you are going to invest, you need to be prepared to take some risk and to see at least some fall in the value of your investment.

While all investments carry an element of risk, the amount of risk you take directly affects any potential returns and losses. Generally speaking, if there is less risk to your investment, your money will grow more slowly, whereas with more risk your investment may fluctuate more.

Other risks to your Investments

You should also be aware of currency risk. Currencies, for example sterling, euros, dollars and yen, move in relation to one another. If you are putting your money into investments in another country, then their value will move up and down in line with currency changes as well as with the normal share-price movements.

Another consideration is the risk of inflation. The risk of inflation means that you will need more money in the future to buy the same things as now. When investing, therefore, beating inflation is an important aim. Investing in cash may not beat inflation over the long term.

We can help you make informed decisions about the investment choices that are right for you by assessing your life priorities, goals and attitude towards risk for return. Any number of changing circumstances could cause your wealth to diminish, some inevitable and some unpredictable - new taxes and legislation, volatile markets, inflation and changes in your personal life. Structuring your wealth in a way that minimises the impact of these changes is essential

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In providing greater accuracy in decison making, regulatory and ratings agency compliance; Milestone AMG has fully mastered the art of International business and is at the heart of Europes' Financial Institutions.