Risk-free investments: Do they exist? What are they?

Risk-free investments

Investing has become difficult. In particular, there is a shortage of products that can offer a certain return without being risky. Today, those who want to increase their assets must rely on solutions that do not guarantee any certainty. The reasons are numerous and concern both the real economy and monetary policies. In particular, the central banks have taken rather strong initiatives in order to reduce the effects of the crisis and favor the recovery. The reference is to the zeroing of the reference rates, which has depressed the interests a little at all levels. Global instabilities are also impacting, such as those represented by an oil price now falling and now very volatile, and by geopolitical suffering.

And yet, even in such a compromised landscape, there are investments without risk …

A context in radical change

The truth is that the financial landscape, and therefore that of investments, has changed in just a few years. To distort it, the 2008 crisis, the instability of the markets, the monetary policies of the central banks. Some certainties, in particular, have collapsed. Most of the investments once considered profitable are no longer. For example, currently government bonds make virtually zero, although they are safer than before, precisely because of the “normalization” work carried out by policy makers.

Similarly, some investments that were once safe today are no longer safe. The reference is to the “classic brick”. Today it is really difficult to monetize the purchase of a property, for at least two reasons. First, if it is true that buying is easy given the fall in prices, selling at a decent price is much more complicated. Leasing activities also suffered a sudden slowdown. The cause is represented by the increasingly high taxation, the scarce economic availability of the taxpayer, which in turn is responsible for the numerous episodes of insolvency.

Risk-free investments

Risk-free and profitable investments

Speaking of profitability when referring to investments without risk, by virtue of the elements described above, is at least risky. However, there are still products that guarantee a moderate income, therefore above the minimum level of decency. The context is variegated and takes into consideration traditional investments, such as deposit accounts and post offices, but also investments in the stock market, although aimed at well-circumscribed contexts. All of them are however at hand with an entry level (minimum capital for investing) rather low and accessible even to small or medium savers.

Deposit accounts

They represent the best solution for those who have some savings on hand and would like to place them safely and still have them at hand. The deposit account is a kind of current account which, compared to a slightly reduced operation, and allows far higher returns. We speak, on average, of a percentage point and a half. Interest is inversely proportional to operations. The most profitable deposit accounts are the “tied” ones, which greatly reduce operations but are much more convenient. Most large banks offer deposit accounts and a large part of small or regional ones. Above all, it is in the latter case that the product is really convenient.

Savings bonds

To be honest, interest-bearing bonds have lost much of their appeal, since they are much less profitable than they used to be. However, numerous variations have been created, which sacrifice some security on the altar of profitability. The reference is in particular to interest-bearing bonds. The annuity is divided into two parts. The rhyme follows the usual dynamics and is fixed. The second, which acts as an additional bonus, is linked to the index. It is an excellent solution for the long term, given that the premium is granted every five years. The annuity is however solid and it is still an investment without risk (or almost).

Actions

The stock market is stable. Investors often operate in an altered emotional state, perhaps overestimating the extent of certain events. An example is given by Brexit, which threw into panic the bags far more than it should. In principle, therefore, especially in this period the actions should be treated with extreme caution. However, it is useless to make a bundle of grass. There are segments, in fact, in which the actions are good and they do it not for some contingent but structurally. An example is given by pharmaceuticals: the demand for goods may also decrease, but that of drugs is not. Here, therefore, it is reasonable to expect at least some stability from the shares issued by pharmaceutical companies. The same applies (or almost) to the hi-tech segment. These companies are included in a structurally growing market, therefore constantly sheltered from the systemic crisis (or at least suffer less from it). It should be remembered, however, that actions remain a rather risky instrument in themselves.

You may also like: Drake Bell Net Worth

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *