Good afternoon, dear readers of the financial magazine "site"! Today we will talk about investing. We will tell you what it is and what types of investments exist, where it is better to start and where you can invest money.

From the article you will learn:

• What is investment and what is its benefit;
• What types of investments are the most common;
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of private investment;
• What steps to take to start investing;
• What are the different ways to invest in personal finance?

The article will be useful to everyone who is interested in investments. Both beginners in the field of investing and those who already have experience will find useful information for themselves.

What is investing and what types of investments are there, where to start and how to make investments correctly, where it is better to invest your money - you will learn about this and more by reading the article to the end

Not everyone understands that absolutely everyone is engaged in investing in the modern world. In fact, even education is special type of investment, as this is an investment in the future, because it is a quality education that will help you find a good job with a decent salary.

for instance The same principle applies in sports. Regularly exercising, a person makes a contribution to beauty and health. If he is a professional athlete, every workout is an investment in future victories.

Thus, investing reflects the most important rule of human life. It says: it is impossible to get something in the future if nothing is done for it in the present.

From this we can deduce the main meaning of investment: they are mental, monetary, material investments, which in the long term will lead to income in a short or long term.

Unfortunately, in Russia, as well as in the countries of the former USSR, the level of financial literacy is at a rather low level. The result is a lack of correct knowledge about the prospects for financial investments.

Most residents of this region believe that only credit institutions, government agencies, and large companies can engage in investment activities.

There is also an opinion that only very rich people can earn on investing funds among private individuals. In fact, absolutely anyone can start investing. To do this, it is enough to have a desire, as well as theoretical and practical training.

First of all, it is worth studying investment concept . This word comes from the Latin in vestio , which means in translation dress . It is not entirely clear how these two words are related.

Investment in the economic sense has several definitions. We will give the easiest to understand.

Investment - this is an investment in various tangible, as well as intangible assets for the sake of their increase.

Investments are being made in various sectors of the economy, as well as in the social and intellectual life of people.

The objects of investment, that is, the property in which money is invested, can be:

• money from different countries;
• various types of securities;
• real estate objects;
• equipment;
• objects of intellectual property.

In the case of investment, investments are made once. After that, in the future, you can count on a constant profit.

Investments help overcome the basic economic rule. It says that the one who keeps money at home, their amount is constantly decreasing.

The fact is that the purchasing power of available money is constantly and inevitably declining. This leads to inflation, various economic crises, as well as devaluation.

From this comes the most important purpose of any investment , which consists not only in the preservation, but also in the constant increase of capital.

2. What is the benefit of investing? 📑

Spending a minimum of time and effort to generate income is quite realistic. A similar option to earn money is called. It is to this way of earning that all adequate people strive. Especially it concerns businessmen, as well as moneymakers, that is, people who earn income using the Internet.

One of the ways to make passive income is investing in any profitable areas . In other words, successful investments allow you to count on the fact that in the end you can achieve the main goal of any sane person, which is the minimum time spent on earning money.

It turns out that a person will have the opportunity to do what is convenient for him. Ultimately, a successful investment of funds will lead to the fact that there will be no need to go to work every day and spend most of your time providing a decent existence for yourself and your family.

Instead of the person his capital will work , the investor will only receive regular and stable profits.

Many of these statements are very skeptically. This is quite understandable, given that politics and the economy in our country are very unstable. But it makes sense to stop doubting, it is best to soberly assess the opportunities that open up.

Important to remember that people who are unsure of their own abilities will never be able to get rid of lack of money, as well as from the heavy yoke of an employee.

Many people wonder why someone succeeds, while others cannot get out of the debt hole. The point is not at all in the available talents, high performance, excellent. In fact, it all lies in the fact that some people know how to effectively manage their funds, while others do not.

Even those who have the same initial assets can end up with completely different income. This is largely due to the cardinal difference in attitudes towards material and personal resources.

Thus, success can only be achieved if the available assets are properly directed, in other words, invested.

Keep in mind that what has been said refers not only to money and property, but also to mental abilities, energy, and also time.

Competent and profitable investments bring the following benefits to life:

• profit that does not depend on time costs;
• financial independence;
• free time for family activities, hobbies, travel and other things;
• a stable future in which you can be sure.

By investing wisely, you can forget about the need to spend a significant amount of time to provide for your needs. You should not expect that absolutely nothing will have to be done, it will be necessary to study , analyze , as well as to risk .

However, sooner or later such efforts will positive result. As it can be stable profit . At first, most likely, it will be only an additional income, but gradually it can become main .

In addition, invaluable experience will be acquired during the investment process. It will definitely come in handy in the future, even if it is not possible to earn significant money. By the way, in one of the articles we wrote without attachments.

Classification of forms and types of investments

3. Main types of investments and their classification 📊

Investments are heterogeneous. One can distinguish a huge number of their types. Moreover, each of them has unique characteristics.

The variety of criteria according to which investments can be described leads to the existence of a large number of classifications. We will talk about five basic.

Type 1. Depending on the object of investment

One of the most important characteristics of investments is the object in which the funds are invested.

The following classification is based on this feature:

• Speculative investment imply the acquisition of an asset (securities, foreign currency, precious metals) for their subsequent sale after an increase in value.
• financial investments– investing in various financial instruments. Most often, securities and mutual funds are used for this purpose.
• Venture investments– investments in promising, actively developing, often newly created companies. In this case, they are expected to start generating huge profits in the future. Read more in a separate article of our magazine.
• Real investment involves the investment of funds in various forms of real capital. This may be the acquisition of a land plot, investment in construction, the purchase of a ready-made business, copyright, license.

Type 2. By investment period

For investors, it is of great importance that for what period of time their funds will be limited in their possibilities of use. In other words, the term is important, that is, the time for which the money will be invested.

Depending on this feature, the following types of investments are distinguished:

• short-term, the investment period for which does not exceed one year;
• medium-term– investments for 1-5 years;
• long-term– the money will be invested for more than 5 years.

In a separate group can also be distinguished annuity investments which can be made for any period of time. At the same time, profits from them come periodically.

A striking example is bank deposits with monthly transfer of interest to a separate account.

Type 3. Depending on the form of ownership

If we consider as a criterion for classifying an entity that invests funds, we can distinguish:

• private investment- investments are made by an individual;
• foreign– funds are invested by foreign citizens and companies;
• public investment- various state bodies act as the subject.

There are situations when not all invested money belongs to one entity. In this case, one speaks of combined or mixed investments.

for instance, part of the invested money belongs to the state, the rest - to a private investor.

Type 4. By risk level

One of the most important indicators of any investment is the level of risk. Traditionally, it is directly dependent on profitability. In other words, The higher the risk, the more profit the investment instrument will bring.

Depending on the level of risk, all investments are divided into three groups(arranged in ascending order of riskiness):

• conservative;
• investment with moderate risk;
• aggressive investment.

Although there are investors who, in pursuit of high returns, agree that their investments are subject to high risk, the majority still avoid high-risk investments. This applies to how newcomers, and experienced investors.

The solution to the problem could be diversification , which, although it does not help to completely eliminate the risk, but can significantly reduce it. Diversification refers to the distribution of capital among several types of investments.

Type 5. By investment purpose

Depending on the intended purpose, the following types of investment are traditionally distinguished:

• direct investments imply capital investment in the field of material production, sale of goods and services, the investor usually receives a part of the authorized capital of the company, which is at least 10%;
• portfolio involves investing in various securities (usually stocks and bonds), active investment management is not expected;
• intellectual involve the investment by the company's management of funds in the training of employees, conducting various courses and trainings;
• non-financial investments– money is invested in various projects (equipment, machines), as well as rights and licenses.

Thus, there are several classifications of investments depending on various criteria.

Due to the variety of types, each investor can choose the type of investment that is ideal for him.

4. Advantages and disadvantages of private investment 💡

Like any other economic process, private investment has its own pros and minuses. It is important to carefully study them before starting any investment. This will help further improve the efficiency of the process.

Pros ( + ) private investment

The following are the benefits of private investment:

1. Investing is one of the types of passive income. This is the most important investment benefit. For the sake of passive income most people start investing. To receive equivalent amounts of money, the investor spends much less time and effort than someone who actively works as an employee.
2. The process of investing is very interesting and also helps to learn new things. The cognition of investment activity lies in increasing financial literacy, gaining experience with various investment instruments. At the same time, traditional wage labor is monotonous, which in many ways is why it becomes hated. In this regard, investments benefit significantly.
3. Investing allows you to diversify your income. Traditionally, each person receives income from one source - wages from an employer or retirement. Less commonly, one or two more sources are added to them, for example, apartment rental income. At the same time, investing allows you to distribute capital among an unlimited number of assets, which will make it possible to receive income from various sources. Thanks to this approach, you can significantly increase the security of your personal or family budget. It turns out that in case of loss of income from one source, funds will continue to come from others.
4. Investing provides an opportunity to realize yourself, as well as achieve your goals. Practice proves that it is investors who are most likely to achieve their goals and become successful. This is due to the fact that investing allows you to achieve material well-being and free up a lot of time. This time can be spent on family, hobbies, self-realization. It is investors who most often occupy the top of the ratings of the richest people.
5. Theoretically, the income received in the process of investing is unlimited. Indeed, the amount of active income is always limited by how much time and effort was spent. At the same time, there are no such restrictions with passive income. Moreover, if in the process of investing profit is not withdrawn, but reinvested, the return on investment will increase according to the compound interest formula.

Minuses ( − ) private investment

Despite a significant number of advantages, investments also have disadvantages.

Among them are the following:

1. The main disadvantage of investing is risk. Regardless of which investment instrument is used, there is a possibility of total or partial loss of invested capital. Of course, if you invest in reliable assets, the risk will be minimal, but still it preserved .
2. Investing comes with stress. This is especially true for beginners. Often the value of the instrument in which the funds were invested does not move in the direction the investor would like. Naturally, this leads to the formation of a loss, even if it is temporary. In these situations, investors are exposed to serious psychological stress.
3. Successful investing requires a large amount of knowledge. Required constantly learn and improve oneself. On the one hand, the acquisition of additional knowledge is a useful process and no one will be superfluous. On the other hand, this will require a lot of time. Moreover, it is important to have desire and self-discipline which not everyone has. At the same time, in the absence of the necessary knowledge, private investment becomes like wandering in the dark.
4. The investment process most often does not guarantee a constant profit. There are very few tools that give a guarantee of income. Much more often, investors have to focus on forecast values, which, in the event of a change in the market situation, cannot always be achieved. Moreover, sometimes private investment leads to education loss. In comparison with investments, various options for active earnings provide more guarantees of obtaining a constant amount of income.
5. To start investing, you need cash capital. At the same time, if it is planned to live with dignity and support a family from the profits received, the amount of investment will be required significant. The creation of such capital can take a significant amount of time and effort.

Thus, comparing Benefits and limitations investment, it can be concluded that the pros still outweigh the cons .

Of course, everyone should decide whether it is worth investing capital for himself. However, we believe that it is better to invest.

For starters, you can use small amounts and instruments with minimal risk.

How to invest money in 5 steps - instructions for beginners (dummies)

5. How to invest money - a step by step guide to investing for beginners 📝

Many novice investors are wondering how to effectively start investing. That is why later in the article we present step by step instructions. It will help anyone who wants to take the first steps in investing and thereby achieve their financial goals.

Of course, the initial situation for each investor is individual. However, there are general rules to follow that are useful for all cases and for every investor.

To start investing, you need to overcome eight successive steps. To achieve success, you should not skip any of them.

Step 1. Assessing Your Financial Situation and Getting Your Personal Finances in Order

First of all, you should describe your income . At the same time, the source of income should be determined, how regular and stable they are. In addition, their size should be fixed.

Further evaluated costs , they should be fixed by articles. At the same time, the category of expenses must be marked, that is, whether they are one-time, regular or irregular.

The next step in the financial plan– description of available assets . It can be automobile, apartment, bank deposits, land and summer cottages, securities, shares in authorized capital etc. It is important to indicate the value of each of the assets, as well as the amount of profit from it.

After that, it is calculated return on each asset, which is equal to the ratio of their profit to the cost. Most likely, all or most of the assets will be unprofitable or incur additional costs. At this stage, this situation is quite normal.

Once the assets are described, it is also important to make a list liabilities . It can be any obligation - loans, including mortgage, as well as other debts, For example, taxes and insurance premiums.

At this stage, it is important to assess the amount of expenses that are paid under the relevant obligations. annually. It is also worth evaluating as a percentage the ratio of the amount of expense to the total amount of obligations.

Now the budget should be estimated by calculating two coefficients:

1. Investment resource- the difference between income and expenses;
2. net worth is the difference between assets and liabilities.

Ideally, the value of the first indicator should be at least 10 -20 percent of income. If the size of the investment resource did not reach this value, or turned out to be less than zero, before you start investing, you will have to resort to measures of financial recovery of the budget.

During the preparation and analysis of the financial plan, one should be as honest as possible, one should not try to embellish the current situation. It is important in the budget to describe everything exactly as it really is.

It is important to understand that the budget drawn up in this step is basis future financial plan, without which it will not be possible to draw up a quality plan.

Thus, the result of the first step should be the understanding that Where does your budget come from and how is it spent? .

In addition, you can understand how much money remains after making the main payments, as well as how long you can survive if the income from the main source of income stops.

Step 2. Creating a financial reserve

For use in case of unforeseen situations, you should create financial reserve . It should be understood that it is important not only in practical plan, but also psychological. Such a reserve gives a very strong sense of confidence as well as stability.

The realization that a person has a small reserve of money in case of unforeseen life circumstances makes life psychologically much more comfortable.

As a result, a financial reserve is an affordable, but at the same time a very effective way to make life more comfortable, as well as significantly reduce stress levels.

In practical terms, the financial reserve provides two functions:

1. Payment of regular expenses in the event that for some reason the main source of income ceases to replenish the budget;
2. Funding for small unexpected expenses– repair of household appliances, medical services and other.

The ideal size of the financial reserve should ensure the payment of fixed costs over a period equal to three months before half a year .

The created reserve should be kept in the currency in which the main expenses are paid. It is best to invest money to the bank.

You should choose a credit institution that meets the following criteria:

• participation in ;
• the credit institution is not lower than the fiftieth place in terms of assets or is a branch of a large international company;
• convenient location, as well as the work schedule will allow you to use the services of the bank without spending a whole day on it.

For accumulation, you should not choose card accounts, since in this case there is a great temptation to spend funds not as planned. Best to open current or savings account. However, in this case, the interest on the account balance is too low.

The ideal option would be deposit . But you should pay attention that it meets the following criteria:

• the minimum replenishment amount should be comfortable for monthly savings;
• if necessary, you can withdraw part of the funds without losing interest;
• Ideally, interest should accrue and be capitalized on a monthly basis.

It turns out that when choosing a bank, the interest rate should not be a determining condition. But you should pay attention that it is neither the lowest nor the highest among those existing on the market.

As soon as the bank and the deposit are selected, you need to replenish the account up to the amount of the calculated financial reserve.

Step 3. Development of goals, as well as investment objectives

At this stage, you should decide what the future investor wants to do in life, what to get, what property to acquire. At the same time, for each goal, it is necessary to determine how much money is required to achieve it, in what currency. In addition, it is important to determine by what point the goal should be achieved.

Once goals are defined, they should be rank , that is, numbered in descending order of importance and priority. Thus, it will become clear where the funds should be directed. first of all.

Step 4. Determination of acceptable risk

The future investor at this stage determines, how much financial risk he is willing to take in order to achieve the set goals. Also at this point, it is determined which situations in investing will be unacceptable.

In other words, some investors are quite calm about a temporary drawdown of capital even by 40%. Others, on the contrary, feel absolutely uncomfortable even if a loss occurs within 10 %.

Step 5 Development of an investment strategy

At this point, it is important to determine for yourself the following points:

• the size of the invested amount;
• frequency of investment - once or regularly;
• the occurrence of what type of risks is unacceptable, and must be hedged in advance;
• what part of personal time the investor is ready to spend on managing investments;
• forbidden financial instruments are defined – someone fundamentally does not invest in the alcohol and tobacco industries, someone prefers to finance foreign companies and the like;
• decides in what types and types of assets the funds will be invested;
• what taxes may arise, how they can be minimized.

Once the conditions outlined above are defined, it should be clearly spelled out how investment decisions will be made. That is, it is necessary to decide which points to take into account and which to ignore. In addition, it is important to determine what actions should be followed when certain events occur.

It is equally important to determine how often and under the influence of what to analyze the current investment strategy, as well as under what circumstances it should be reviewed and changed.

Step 6. Stress testing the developed strategy

At this stage, the strategy developed at the previous step is tested according to the principle "what if?" . To do this, you should ask yourself the maximum number of questions and answer them as truthfully as possible.

Questions should start like this: what will happen with my investment goals. The second part of the question if) depends on the circumstances of the investor's life and is individual for each.

Examples of question endings are:

• if I lose my job;
• if I become seriously ill;
• if the car breaks down.

The result of such testing should be the development of a protective investment strategy. Its main task is to determine the opportunities that will allow not to abandon the implementation of the investment strategy even under unfavorable circumstances.

Many difficulties can not only be identified in advance, but also insured in case of their occurrence.

Step 7. Choosing an attachment method

At this point, you need to determine:

• through which company the investment will be made;
• how the funds will be deposited;
• how to withdraw earned profit;
• in whose favor and in what amount it will be necessary to make payments (commissions and taxes).

Step 8. Formation of an investment portfolio

Only after all the previous stages of preparation for investment have been overcome, you can begin to form investment portfolio . In other words, only at this moment you can go directly to investing money.

At this step, you will need to do the following:

1. choose certain instruments that will correspond to the developed investment strategy;
2. invest in selected assets.

Many will say that the instructions given are too complicated, it is not necessary to overcome such a large number of steps. In fact, only the consistent implementation of all eight stages can lead the investor to the following result:

1. Manage your personal financial situation
2. A financial reserve will be formed that will allow you to stay afloat for six months;
3. There will be a sense of confidence in the future, as well as insurance against surprises and minor troubles;
4. A specific action plan will be developed that will allow increasing own funds;
5. A well-structured financial portfolio will appear.

Those who manage to overcome these difficult, at first glance, steps can confidently expect positive return on investment.

Proven ways to invest money better to make it work

6. Where to invest money - TOP 9 best ways to invest personal finances 💰

There are a huge number of investment instruments. When choosing the ideal direction for yourself, you should proceed not only from your own preferences regarding the level risk and profitability . It is also important to coordinate the way of investing with the economic situation in the country.

We bring to your attention the most popular and reliable options for investing money.

Method 1. Bank deposits

Tip 5. Read books on investing

Today, a significant amount of literature relating to investing can be found on the net. Everyone among this variety will find what suits him.

Many books have been written accessible and plain language. Therefore, if the author's language is too difficult for you, feel free to put the book aside. Maybe her time just hasn't come. Read it later.

Thus, novice investors should heed the advice of professionals. This will definitely help you achieve success in investing.

11. FAQ on investments - answers to frequently asked questions 🔔

The investment process is multifaceted and complex. That is why many beginners have a huge number of questions.

So that a novice investor does not have to look for answers to them by studying a huge amount of literature, we provide them at the end of the publication.

Investments in various types and forms have become so deeply embedded in our daily lives that many people, even those who are not directly related to investing, have a general concept of what investing is. The essence and types of investments are somewhat different for different authors. Let's take a look at this definition of investment:

Investments- this is an investment of capital in any form (property, money, securities, etc.) in economic objects for profit or for solving any social problems.

Types of investments.

In economics, investments are divided according to the objects of capital investment into financial and real. Real investments involve investing in enterprises and the life of staff. Financial investments are investments in securities and other financial instruments.

According to the level of investment risk, investments can be of four types: risk-free, low-risk, medium-risk, high-risk and speculative investments. Explanations are required only for the last type of investment. For speculative types of investments, the maximum level of income is always expected, but the money is invested in dubiously risky investment projects.

By the nature of participation in the process, there can be direct and indirect. With direct investment, the investor himself invests money, most often in the authorized capital of enterprises, securities, etc. With indirect investment, financial intermediaries are involved in the placement of money.

According to the investment period, the following types of investments are distinguished: short-term(up to one year) and long-term(over a year).

Types of investments by form of ownership: private and public.

And finally, according to regional affiliation, they distinguish national and foreign investments.

Although the economic essence and types of investments have many definitions and explanations, another classification of monetary investments will be much clearer for an ordinary person. Consider the types of investments that are most convenient for an individual:

1. Contributions. One of the most convenient ways to place your own free funds. It is enough to come to the bank and find out the term, interest and general conditions for deposits, and then choose the right one. The only difficulty will be in the variety of banking offers.
2. Mutual funds. For those who are just beginning to understand the basics of profitable capital allocation, this investment is the most convenient and cost-effective, and the Investor buys shares, which are nothing more than shares or bonds of an enterprise. Interest is charged on the investment amount.
3. Trust management involves the transfer of money or securities to a legal entity for profit. From the profit received, a certain percentage of the "asset manager" will have to be deducted.
4. United Bank Management Fund. In this case, the property of several founders is managed by a credit institution.
5. Real estate investment quite expensive , and the level of risk is very high. As a result of investing money in housing, you can win and lose with the same probability.
6. Non-state pension funds focus on investing in a decent old age. These funds manage pension assets.
7. credit unions characterized by high risk and high profitability. The investment scheme resembles bank deposits.
8. Independent trading in securities requires the presence of certain knowledge and skills of the investor.
9. Business investment is direct investment. About the business in which you are going to invest money, you need to collect the maximum

Experienced investors know that money lying in a "three-liter jar" on a shelf or under a mattress is the most unprofitable way to "invest". Banknotes and coins must be in constant motion, multiply and work for their owner. Of course, there are risks that the investment project will fail, but if you approach the issue of investments competently and carefully, you can always minimize these probabilities. What types of investments are there? Novice investors should know the basic aspects of proper capital allocation.

Investments - basic concepts

The essence of investments is the investment of capital (material or intangible form) in various investment projects, securities, funds in order to make a profit in the future. Very often, some types of investments are compared with speculation, however, these are two different concepts. After all, speculative projects involve investing money for up to one year (most often for a month or two). All investments for a period of more than a year are already investments. But there are types of investments that fall under these two definitions, such as trading on the stock exchanges. They are mostly short-term, but they are not called speculation.

Real investment

This type of investment differs from others in that here money is invested in real things: enterprises, privatized objects, real estate. There are several types of real investments:

• Material - the creation of enterprises, or turnover.
• Intangible - when, promotion of a brand or trademark, market research, advertising, design of a trading floor, and so on.

How to determine the profitability of an investment? You can use a dynamic method to assess the effectiveness of investments: determining the index of return on investment, the internal rate of return, or using the net present value method. The comparison method is most often used when the current project is compared with a similar one and the rate of return is determined. If it turns out to be high, then the investment is considered effective.

It is worth noting that such investments are considered risky and therefore require professional management. Before deciding to invest, for example, in a specific production, it is recommended to get the opportunity to influence the management of the company, and it is best to own the main block of shares. There are cases when the views of the management of the company and the investor on the ways of distributing investment funds did not coincide. As a result, conflict situations arose. Competent management of real investments involves a constant analysis of the market, the search for consensus between stakeholders, forecasting performance.

Features of real investments

Unlike the national currency, whose exchange rate can jump up and down, real investment objects rarely depreciate. For example, an investor bought an apartment in order to rent it out, and it only grows in price against the backdrop of general inflation. The rate of return on such investments is quite high. This is not a fixed percentage in the bank, as is the case with a deposit, but an opportunity to earn much more. After all, by expanding production, modernizing, and improving the skills of personnel, you can get more quality products, which means more money.

But there are certain risks of this type of investment:

• Technological progress affects the rapid loss of relevance of a particular equipment. Real objects require constant investment. The investor is engaged in the introduction of new technologies, and the competitor has already acquired something even more high-tech.
• Some real investment objects have low liquidity. For example, purchased raw materials quickly fell into disrepair or equipment is outdated.

In the latter case, financial instruments look more attractive. They can be easily sold on any exchange. But precisely, to act more broadly and effectively.

Real investments for individuals

These types of investments do not require a lot of paperwork (with the exception of investing in opening your own company):

• Buying an apartment, house or other premises for further rental. Very much in a house under construction and its subsequent sale after putting the house into operation at a much higher price.
• Acquisition of various equipment in order to rent it or resell it at a better price.
• Buying antiques that only increase in value over time.
• Opening your own company.

All these types of real investments are also used by legal entities, but the list of their possibilities is more extensive. It also includes the modernization of production, the reconstruction of buildings, the construction of new facilities and infrastructure equipment.

financial investments

This type of investment is considered the most popular and widespread. In this case, the investor uses various investment instruments in order to make a profit. In addition, a similar method can also be used to diversify risks, gain control over the issuing company, and preserve capital. The main qualities of financial investments:

• accessibility for all types of investors;
• circulation on the secondary market;
• a portfolio form of investment is available;
• high level volatility;
• the level of profitability is potentially high;
• The process is regulated at the legislative level.

Of course, there are risks of lower profitability and loss of capital of an investment nature, but this is inherent in any type of investment.

How is the structure of financial investments distributed by markets:

• Currency - implies trading on FOREX, buying options for the further acquisition of currency, etc.
• Credit - state or corporate type, bonds and other debt securities.
• Stock - purchase / sale of shares of various corporations and enterprises.

What are the types of financial investments? Shares are considered the most highly profitable, but also risky instrument. Bonds are usually backed by the state and are less risky, but also less profitable. Mutual funds are considered to be something between the two previous investment instruments, because in this case, the investors' money is managed by professionals, which reduces the risk of losses. The financial type of investment also includes investments in, futures, options, forwards, depositary receipts.

How financial investments are valued:

1. An analysis is carried out (it is better to entrust these actions to specialists) taking into account external and internal data. The economy and the state of a particular financial sector are studied, the forecast for the exchange rate and stocks, and management and financial reports are analyzed.
2. Determination of the effectiveness of financial investments. Investments that allow funds to steadily increase are considered optimal and successful. The economic evaluation of efficiency includes the following methods: calculation of the payback period, internal and estimated rate of return, determination of net worth and evaluation of the return on investment.

If you take into account all the results obtained, you can choose the most suitable financial investment instrument.

It is worth noting that in addition to making a profit, this type of investment allows companies to increase their influence on the current market segment. Economists recommend forming an investment portfolio from various types of financial investments. These can be, for example, purchases of shares, deposits and currencies. If the bank fails, then there will still be stocks and currency.

Smart investment

This type of investment implies Intellectual property can be private or collective. Objects for attachments:

• copyright patents;
• information property (knowledge, experience, useful ideas);
• property of a licensed nature (the right to use goods and services secured by a license);
• purchase of scientific and technical products (information software, know-how).

Objects of intellectual investment can be technological, technical or artistic. The latter, for example, include a previously unused design solution for a trademark or logo. To technical - improvement of equipment, mechanisms and instruments. Buying innovative software is also a way to invest money.

This type of investment is considered promising today, but it also carries many risks. After all, no one can guarantee that the acquired technology, for example, will be successful in production. However, the rapid development of the market simply forces us to look for new projects and ways to improve business, so investment in intellectual property is very relevant. The creation of special exchanges that trade ip-assets only confirms this fact. Intellectual investments are capable of making a "breakthrough" in the manufacturing sector with average financial injections. Such investments have a beneficial effect on the entire economy of the country as a whole.

It is very difficult to assess the effectiveness of this type of investment, because even experienced experts are not able to predict the success of this or that intellectual project. But investors with a certain degree of adventurism still take risks and, in most cases, win.

Separation of investments by risk and return

The conservative type of portfolio investments also includes government shares. It is not necessary to expect special incomes here, however, the risks are minimized. Diversified investments are based on the division of the degree of risk between different financial investment instruments, where the high profitability of some is secured by the reliability of others. The profitability of such a portfolio is equal to the average market indicator.

A conservative approach is inherent in investors who do not like risks. A moderate investment strategy involves the use of an equal share of risk-free and high-yield "dangerous" investments with high liquidity. The aggressive way of managing an investment portfolio is to get as much income as possible. But in this case, the risks are very high, because the portfolio is formed from the shares of "green" companies that have not yet gained credibility in the market, but are rapidly developing, as well as from new startups.

What types of investments are most popular in Russia today

1. Bank deposit. This method of investment is more familiar, but not very profitable. The risks here are very low, because the deposits are insured, and if the bank collapses, the depositors will receive compensation.
2. The property. In Moscow alone, over the past two years, prices for apartments, houses or commercial premises have increased by 30%. But the lack of diversification, the cost of maintaining a property in good condition and low liquidity are significant disadvantages of this type of investment.
3. . Traders' management manages the investor's money and divides the profits, according to the agreement. The annual return on such investments reaches 50%, and in some cases even 100%. It is recommended to invest in several accounts at once in order to spread the risks.
4. Investments in ETFs. Although this market is not yet very developed in our country, it is considered promising. The low cost of ETFs (3-5 thousand rubles), the possibility of currency diversification and the high liquidity of such investments make them very profitable today. Buying an ETF involves investing in several companies or foreign organizations at once, which reduces risks.
5. are considered low-risk, but require costs in the form of commissions for managers. However, relatively high dividends compensate for this shortcoming.
6. Bonds. This is a classic investment tool that has been popular for decades. Long-term securities can provide high returns here.
7. . Although such investments are equated with sitting on a barrel of gunpowder, but this is a very fast way to earn money. It is quite possible to double or even triple your capital in a year. Experts do not recommend limiting themselves to only one HYIP, but disperse the money across several promising projects.

Modern people are actively investing in the stock market, which allows you to act in several directions at once, and traditionally in gold. This type of investment, like buying a cryptocurrency, has become very popular just recently. Raging around him. Forecasts in this regard are very different - some are sure that the future belongs to this type of money, and that the cryptocurrency will only rise in price, while others argue that this is another bubble that will burst in the near future.

What are the risks associated with different types of investments?

Risks are the probability of losing your capital due to specific events or for objective reasons. They are of several types: market, occurring for reasons independent of the investor (reforms, crisis, legislative changes), and non-market, which arise within the same company or organization (shortcomings in the business plan, force majeure).

Types of market risks:

• Inflation. Thanks to it, interest rates on loans are growing, citizens' funds are depreciating, and prices are rising. Inflation affects all market players, reducing real incomes. As a result, the payback period of investment projects grows, and almost all profits are "eaten up" by the increase in the circulation of paper money in the country.
• Political risks. Any more or less influential event in the political arena can come back to haunt investors. The adoption of various regulations and legislative amendments indirectly affects some types of investments.
• economic nuances. Tax rates are rising, the key rate of the Central Bank is rising, interest rates on loans are rising. Such aspects cannot but influence investments. The expenses of investors increase, the profit decreases along with the increase in the payback period of the project.

There are also currency risks, when exchange rate fluctuations affect the attractiveness of projects for investors. Therefore, it is recommended to invest in several types of currencies at once. Non-market risks include credit, personal, liquidity, niche and managerial risks.

A novice investor should still trust specialized specialists in choosing the optimal method and type of investment. Experts will help in choosing a strategy, tell you where you can make good money, and which projects are best avoided.

Of course, you can do without outside help if we are talking about small amounts of deposits. But if investing is the main source of income, then it's not worth the risk.

Financial consultants or managers in mutual funds will help you "make" good money. However, having economic knowledge does not hurt, so it is necessary to subscribe to thematic mailing lists, monitor the market, catch the latest investment trends and invest without regrets. After all, who does not take risks, he cannot be an investor!

Similar posts

Evgeny Smirnov

# Investments

Types of investments

Bank deposits, buying real estate and jewelry are the most popular ways to invest in Russia.

Article navigation

• By object
• By purpose
• By urgency
• By form of ownership
• By degree of risk
• By profitability factor
• Accounting
• Liquidity
• By location
• Compatibility
• By competitive orientation
• Bank deposit
• The property
• Gold and jewels
• Art objects
• Mutual funds
• Exchange trading
• Insurance and pension funds
• Trust management
• Cryptocurrency, ICO, mining
• Venture investments and HYIPs
• Conclusion

If there is free money, then they should work. Today, more and more people understand this, but most simply do not know where they can invest. After all, you want to get more income, and the capital itself is guaranteed to be saved.

In this article, we will talk in detail about the types of investments, how they are classified, and also analyze the main areas for investing money, talk about the conditions, pros and cons. Almost certainly every reader will be able to determine for himself the most profitable option.

Classification of types of investments

There are different classifications of investments, among which one can distinguish both the main types and rarer ones that are not used very often. In total, twelve species can be distinguished, which may seem like a large number. But the point is that each specific investment has signs from several groups. Their characteristics depend not only on the direction of investments, but also on the object, the degree of risk and many other factors.

The economic essence of investments of all kinds lies in the transformation of available resources into investment objects, which can be various assets. It may not necessarily be objects of entrepreneurial activity or property, other options are possible.

The very concept of investment implies the investment of capital in order to make a profit, but only the investor himself can guarantee the absence of risks.

By object

According to the object of investment, deposits are usually divided into three types:

• Real investments that involve the purchase of capital in various forms. This may be the acquisition of tangible assets, investments in intangible assets, etc.
• Financial investments in which capital is bought with the help of financial assets, which are most often securities. It can also be a loan or lease.
• Venture investments, which consist in the purchase of assets for the purpose of speculation. The objects of venture investment are usually securities, currencies, precious metals and other assets that are subject to high volatility. It is also an investment in new high-risk projects.

Investment projects are compulsorily divided by investment objects. All types of investments are distributed in different areas, and the activities of each particular company are usually aimed at a specific object. It is extremely rare to find companies that work in several directions at once.

By purpose

Investments are also classified according to the goals they pursue. In total, it is customary to distinguish five types.

• Direct - capital is invested in an existing enterprise. Aimed at the development of the company. The investor usually receives a stake in the business. Capital is invested in the purchase of equipment, the development of new markets, the purchase of tangible or intangible assets.
• Real - money is invested in material production, that is, in the production of goods. At the same time, the investments themselves can be not only tangible, but also intangible (for example, in the form of intellectual property).
• Portfolio is the purchase of securities of various companies. Usually these are stocks or bonds, and the investor himself does not participate in the management of the company.
• Non-financial investments are investments that are aimed at acquiring intangible assets, which can be patents, copyright objects, brands, etc.
• Intellectual - staff training, research activities, development of innovative solutions.

By urgency

Maturity refers to the period after which a return on investment is expected. There are three groups:

• Short-term - up to twelve months.
• Medium-term - from one to three years.
• Long-term - more than three years.

In practice, the shorter the term, the higher the risks, but not always. It all depends on the nature of the investment. There may be short-term, but very reliable investments, and there may be long-term, but not guaranteeing any result. But still, it is generally accepted that short-term investments are necessarily high-risk, although this opinion should be recognized as erroneous. It all depends on the specific situation.

By form of ownership

This refers to the types of funding sources. Everyone has their pros and cons, which is why the source is always singled out in the news (for example, a foreign investor). Classified into four types:

• private - legal or natural persons;
• state - investments from state enterprises or state funds that are not related to budgetary funds;
• foreign - investments from foreign companies;
• mixed - private capital and state.

By degree of risk

The division according to the degree of risk is very conditional, in addition, each investor independently determines this parameter, which is one of the key ones. It is extremely difficult to calculate the degree of risk for a number of investments, because you have to take into account a lot of parameters, some of which cannot be predicted at all. Nevertheless, the use of insurance instruments allows you to avoid losses, but reduces the potential benefit. According to the degree of risk, investments are classified into four types:

• Almost no risk. Such situations are quite rare and often depend on insurance.
• Conservative risks, in which their level is below the market average.
• Mid-market - moderate risks and quite acceptable.
• Aggressive - higher than the market average.

Here, in almost all cases, the degree of risk is tied to potential profit. There are rarely situations when investments can bring profit at the level of aggressive ones, but there are no actual threats.

By profitability factor

According to the profitability factor, investments are divided into four types:

• highly profitable;
• average income;
• low-income;
• unprofitable.

Regarding the last option, it is worth explaining separately. There is no direct profit here, but it is replaced by other effects. For example, social or environmental. They do not bring direct economic benefits, but they play an important role in the long run. The options may be different, as a simple example is the improvement of the consumer's relationship with the brand. The remaining three types are classified relative to the average market level and are not constant.

Accounting

According to the method of accounting for invested funds, only two types are distinguished:

• Net - which are calculated as the sum of gross investments minus depreciation.
• Gross - records are kept for the entire period, all investments are added up.

Liquidity

According to the level of liquidity, investments are classified into four types:

• illiquid;
• low liquidity;
• medium liquid;
• highly liquid.

A high level of liquidity means that investment assets can always be easily sold. It should be noted that this figure may change due to various economic shocks. Assets that were highly liquid may become useless, that is, illiquid. For example, you have shares in a company that was unexpectedly shut down forever. Obviously, liquid assets have ceased to be liquid.

By origin of capital employed

Here investments are divided into three types:

• Disinvestment - partial or complete, but irrevocable extraction of capital from the company.
• Reinvestment - investments at the expense of funds that were received from the first investment.
• Primary - the actual initial investment from the fund of own assets.

By location

Classification into two types:

• external;
• internal.

External - this is foreign investment in the economy of the state. However, there is a difference in interpretation here: some economists believe that domestic investments are those that a citizen (or company) invests in his own country, and external investments in another country. It is also considered that domestic investment is only of domestic origin.

Compatibility

• Interdependent - are carried out in conjunction with all objects, and the investments themselves are made in a certain sequence.
• Independent - affect a certain object and do not affect all others in any way.
• Alternative - long-term investments, which are characterized by low liquidity.

By competitive orientation

• Passive - support the investment object at the current level, do not imply mandatory development.
• Active - aimed at developing the enterprise, increasing competitiveness, capturing new markets.

In practice, active investments are most often encountered. In this case, the money is used to develop the company, which benefits everyone.

Popular directions of investments

Above, we dealt with the classification of investments and determined the groups into which they are divided. But there are specific areas that should be discussed in more detail. We will talk about the most popular ways to invest money in the Russian Federation with all their pros and cons.

Let's just say that the ideal option that is suitable for absolutely everyone does not exist. Some are reliable, but not very profitable, others, on the contrary, are high-risk, but at the same time they promise good profits if successful. Which investment option is best to choose, you need to decide based on your capabilities and the current market situation.

Bank deposit

A very simple way that is accessible to everyone. But not everyone considers bank deposits a way to invest, rather they say that this is a way to save money. Interest rates are low and can easily be eaten away by inflation. In addition, the conditions of the deposit may be different. For example, you may lose interest if you withdraw money early.

• Simplicity and accessibility for everyone.
• Deposits up to 1.4 million rubles are insured.
• Given the current level of inflation, the income will be, albeit small, that is, the deposit is still more profitable than keeping money under the pillow.

• Interest rates are still low and you can count on serious income only from very large amounts.
• With the early closing of the deposit, you often have to lose money. That is, such an investment cannot be called liquid in the full sense. You can take the money, but with losses.

The property

A time-tested option that many people think of first. We are talking not only about residential, but also about commercial real estate or land plots. Such investments allow not only to acquire a liquid asset (in some cases this may not be the case), but also to receive rental income, which can sometimes be even higher than the interest on a bank deposit.

• Real estate is always in demand and can always be sold.
• The ability to passively earn money from rent.

• Significant start-up capital required.
• The real estate market can fall, and if it needs to be sold urgently, then you can lose money.
• There is a risk of fire, flooding by neighbors, etc. (which is solved by insurance).

Thus, this option of investing money should still be considered as a way to save money and, possibly, earn some money.

Gold and jewels

It is believed that if problems begin in the economy, then money should be invested in gold, since this is one of the most stable assets. Which is a misconception, just look at the price charts of gold (and other precious metals).

You can buy not only ingots or various products, but also invest in depersonalized metal accounts. Many Russian banks provide this opportunity, and the entry threshold is quite low and accessible to anyone.

Coins made of precious metals (or simply collectible, but rare), as well as the actual jewelry, stand apart.

• These are reliable and liquid assets.
• With luck, you can get a very good income.
• Low entry threshold.

• Prices may fall, however, history shows that they usually roll back. But this will not help if the money is needed urgently.
• These investments are usually considered as medium or long term.

The option is suitable for those who want to invest money for the long term and potentially get a good profit. In this sense, you will have to take a risk, since no one can guarantee a price increase.

Art objects

It is considered a reliable long-term investment. No need to think that we are talking about art objects worth hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars, there are cheaper options. A simple rule applies here: the older the item, the more expensive the item. Often they are bought with the aim of passing on to children or even grandchildren.

• This is a reliable investment that will bring a guaranteed income, subject to a number of conditions.
• The entry threshold is low and can amount to several hundred thousand rubles.
• There is always an option in which the author will become much more popular and the cost of his creations will increase tenfold.

• In this topic, you need to either understand very well on your own, or pay for the services of experts. Otherwise, there is a risk of buying a fake.
• Profit should be expected only after a long period (from 10 years).
• There is a risk of loss (will have to spend money on insurance).

This option will be good for those who are not in a hurry and have free money that can be invested for a long time.

Mutual funds

Mutual investment funds (PIFs) imply collective investment. This topic is worthy of a separate article, here we note that the option is pretty good. Read more in the pros and cons, of which there are many. There are a huge number of mutual funds themselves, they work in different areas and there is a certain freedom of choice.

• The money will be managed by professionals for whom investing is the main activity.
• An easy opportunity to diversify your capital.
• There are mutual funds with low returns and low risk, and there are opposite options.
• Low entry threshold.
• State control, which partially protects against fraudsters and unprofitable mutual funds.

• There are no guarantees of income, even if the mutual fund has shown profit for the past few years.
• There is an entry and exit fee, which can be up to 5% of the share amount.
• State control is also a disadvantage. Mutual investment funds are prohibited from carrying out operations that are not provided for by the charter, which in some cases (economic shocks) makes it difficult to transfer assets to a safe harbor.

The method is good for those who do not want to delve into the nuances of investing on their own and want to diversify their capital.

Securities, stocks and bonds

An interesting and promising type of investment, which is very difficult to describe in a nutshell. There are many options here. You can buy shares of stable and large companies, receiving dividends from them (which may be higher than deposit rates), or you can buy for the purpose of reselling after an increase in value.

But in this area, not only knowledge and experience are needed, but also solid capital. Especially when it comes to short-term investments. It will be like a job (it will take a long time), but with a small initial investment, the income will be low.

You can work through brokers, where knowledge as such is not needed, and the size of the minimum initial investment is lower. In general, the stock market is a separate direction, about which a lot more can be said. Individuals can invest in shares of well-known Russian and foreign companies through a broker.

Exchange trading

This type of investment is short term. The main task is to make a profit in the shortest possible time due to changes in asset prices. The most popular objects of trading on the stock exchange are currencies, securities and resources. The degree of risk is very high, which is offset by the opportunity to make good profits.

Trading on the stock exchange is not a lottery, as many people think. Experienced traders are able to accurately predict the movement of the course, and they usually turn out to be in the black. Therefore, this way of investing money is suitable only for those who are ready to learn and devote a lot of time to this activity. Trading on the stock exchange cannot be called a passive way of investing money; constant control is needed here.

You can trade on the Moscow Exchange with the help of a broker, and on the Forex market you only need registration.

Insurance and pension funds

Investment life insurance is a financial instrument that allows you to receive income from investing money in combination with life insurance. This type of investment is not among the most popular in Russia, and its essence is extremely simple. Investments are made in assets offered by the insurance company, and the payment occurs after the death of a person or at the end of the contract. They pay all insurance premiums, to which they add income from investments.

However, there are serious drawbacks that hinder the spread of this method. Investments are long-term, usually the minimum period is three years. Income is not guaranteed. In addition, under certain circumstances, death may not be recognized as an insured event. Also, the client is not insured against the bankruptcy of the insurance company. At the moment, investment life insurance can be recognized as one of the worst ways to invest money.

Pension funds are something that every citizen of the Russian Federation has to deal with. As you know, there are two types - PFR, which is state-owned and NPF, to which part of pension contributions can be transferred. The money that goes to the PFR is managed by VEB, which, frankly, does not show outstanding results.

Therefore, if you have not yet signed an agreement with NPFs, it's time to study the list of the most successful and think about deducting part of the money to them. This is a long-term type of investment that can allow you to receive a good pension. The plus here is that you actually don’t lose any money (although it is possible to make additional contributions to the NPF), the minus is that the future pension still depends more on the amount of deductions than on investment dividends.

Trust management

This is an option with a broker in the case of the stock market, but not only. Most often, PAMM accounts are meant for working in the foreign exchange markets. And most often we are talking about Forex. We will not talk in detail about this type of investment, we will focus only on the pros and cons.

• Low entry threshold.
• Potential income can be more than 100% per annum.
• High liquidity of investments: money can be withdrawn at any time.

• High risks.
• There are cases of fraud.
• No guarantees.

As you can see, the potential high profit is offset by high risks and the inability to control the manager's decisions. However, this type of investment is still very much in demand.

Cryptocurrency, ICO, mining

New, but very popular destination. The stories when bitcoin was bought for $100 and sold for ten thousand left few people indifferent. But at the moment, one can observe a long-term stabilization of the cryptocurrency market, which has reduced the volatility of cryptocurrencies and interest in them.

There are options for both long-term and short-term investments. You can play even on daily rate changes, or you can buy a cryptocurrency in the expectation that in a year it will grow 10 or 50 times. The latter makes you pay attention to ICOs, which are becoming more and more. But only a few show profitability.

Mining is far from being as profitable as one and a half to two years ago. Too much money has already been invested there, so a very serious capital is required to enter. However, profits are still being made here.

• Anonymity, accessibility, low entry threshold.
• Opportunity to earn multiple profits.

• There are no guarantees of profit.
• It is extremely difficult to predict the rate of cryptocurrencies, since there are no objective factors affecting their value (except for demand).
• There are a lot of unsuccessful projects among ICOs, and more than half are outright fraud.

You can invest in cryptocurrency on the EXMO or YObit exchange.

Venture investments and HYIPs

In this case, investments are made in new projects with a very high risk. But the potential profit can be huge. This does not always require huge capital, but it does require a large amount of knowledge, as well as the ability to foresee the future of the company. Venture investment is a separate area, which is carried out not only by private companies, but also by state organizations.

The bottom line is simple: money is invested in new and promising projects that can "shoot". Sometimes only one project out of ten can bring profit from the entire investment portfolio, but it will pay back many times over all investments. But if there is no opportunity to invest in several new projects, then the risks increase. Even the best idea may not work as expected.

Venture investments are recommended to be made only in the area in which there is real experience. So you can evaluate the real prospects of the project, point out the developers to the mistakes and more or less guarantee yourself an income. Such investments today are most often associated with high-tech start-ups.

There is not much to say about HYIPs. Any HYIP project is fraudulent, and works on the principle of a financial pyramid. If you enter it at the initial stage, then you can earn money, but for obvious reasons we cannot recommend this method.

In the most general sense, investments should be understood as financial and other means used to obtain some positive result (economic, social, intellectual, defense, etc.). Such a definition goes far beyond the economic interpretation, which broadly interprets the word "invest" as "parting with money today in order to get more of it in the future", or an investment is the use of money to get more money, to generate income or achieve capital gains, or both. The definition we have given covers the economic notion of investment as a means of increasing the captain, as well as the notion of it as a means of achieving non-economic goals by the investor. For example, the state, investing budgetary funds in the development of astrophysics, is unlikely to expect to receive a profit, and there are a lot of similar examples. Thus, one should distinguish between general (in the broad sense) and economic (in the narrow sense) definitions of the concept of investment. The first of them is based on the expectation that the invested funds will achieve not only economic, but also other goals. The second reduces the goals of investment to the increment of invested funds. In the literature, one can find various variants of the groups of definitions indicated by us.

An example of a general definition is the interpretation of the concept of investments in the Federal Law “On investment activities in the Russian Federation carried out in the form of capital investments”: “Investments are cash, securities, other property, including property rights, and other rights having a monetary value invested in objects of entrepreneurial and (or) other activities in order to make a profit and (or) achieve another beneficial effect. Capital investments are defined as investments in fixed capital (fixed assets), including the costs of new construction, reconstruction and technical re-equipment of existing enterprises, the purchase of machinery, equipment, tools, inventory, design and survey work and other costs. Thus, in the most general form, investments represent the costs (expenditure) of everything that has a valuation in the name of achieving certain economic and other goals. The concept of investments is broader than the concept of capital investments, but narrower than the concept of costs (costs, expenses). Costs are one-time and current. The first relate to investment costs, since they are long-term, the second - current, continuously recurring costs - are not investment. For example, in the production process, current costs are concentrated in the cost of production, which includes the cost of labor, depreciation, materials, etc.

The use of investments occurs through the implementation of investment projects aimed at achieving certain, clearly defined goals and representing a set of measures and actions that do not contradict the law to implement a certain amount of investment to achieve specific goals (results) within a specified period of time.

A somewhat different (but coinciding in meaning) formulation of the concept of an investment project in relation to capital investments is given in the aforementioned Federal Law “On Investment Activities in the Russian Federation Carried out in the Form of Capital Investments”, where an investment project is understood as a rationale for the economic feasibility, volume and timing of the implementation of capital investments. investments, the necessary project documentation developed in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation and duly approved standards (norms and rules), as well as a description of practical actions for the implementation of investments (business plan). In addition, the law introduces the concept of a priority investment project (IP), which means an investment project with a total volume of capital investments that meets the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation and is included in the list approved by the Government of the Russian Federation.

The practical implementation of any investment project is unthinkable without collective or individual purposeful activity aimed at solving the tactical and strategic tasks set in the project. This is the essence of investment activity, which in the above-mentioned law is interpreted as investment and implementation of practical actions in order to make a profit and (or) achieve another beneficial effect. It is hardly necessary to overload, as is sometimes done, the concept of investment activity by listing the types of work that are performed in the process of selection, implementation and operation of IP.

The concepts of the subject and object of investment activity are closely related to the concepts of investment and IP. Under subject of investment activity means individuals and legal entities that carry out purposeful actions to solve the tasks set in the I P. The subjects of investment activity are investors, customers, contractors (executors of work), users of objects of investment activity and other individuals and legal entities participating in the implementation of the I P. Legislatively the subject of investment activity is granted the right to combine the functions of two or more entities, unless otherwise provided by the agreement and (or) the state contract concluded between them.

Objects of investment activity are newly created various types of property of enterprises and organizations in the production and non-production sphere, securities (shares, bonds, certificates, etc.), scientific and technical products, property rights and intellectual property rights, cash deposits.

Numerous types of investments are classified according to the following main classification criteria:

• on objects of investment activity;
• terms of investments;
• forms of ownership;
• funding sources;
• territorial orientation;
• industry focus;
• economic sectors;
• the nature of participation in the investment process;
• opportunities to participate in management, etc.

In the typology of investment, the main one is the classification of investments according to the objects of investment activity (or according to the objects of investment). On this basis, real and financial investments are distinguished (Fig. 1.1).

Real (capital-forming) investments divided into tangible and intangible. The former include investments in tangible objects - buildings, structures, machinery, equipment, etc., the latter (potential, sometimes called intellectual) - this is an investment in the acquisition of patents, licenses, payment for research work, the implementation of retraining and improvement programs personnel qualifications, etc. In statistical practice, real investments are referred to as investments in non-financial assets, which are accounted for by the sector of non-financial enterprises in accordance with the methodology of the International Monetary Fund.

Rice. 1.1. Classification of investments by investment objects

Financial investments - this is an investment in shares, bonds, bank deposits, investment certificates and other securities. Financial investments are divided into direct (in real assets), portfolio and others. The former include investments in shares of joint-stock companies in order to receive dividends and acquire the right to participate in management. These are investments made by legal entities and individuals who fully own the organization or control at least 10% of the shares or authorized (share) capital of the organization. Portfolio investments include investments in different types of securities owned by different issuers in order to increase the likelihood of receiving income from invested funds. These include the purchase of shares, shares, bonds, bills of exchange and other debt securities. They make up less than 10% in the authorized (share) capital of the organization. Investments that do not fall under the definition of direct and portfolio investments are indicated as other - trade loans, loans from foreign governments under the guarantees of the Government of the Russian Federation, other loans (loans from international financial organizations, etc.), bank deposits.

The ratio in the country's economy between real and financial investments is an important indicator of economic development. “In primitive economies, the bulk of investment is real, while in the modern economy, most investment is represented by financial investment. The high development of financial investment institutions largely contributes to the growth of real investment. As a general rule, the two forms are complementary rather than competing.”

The structure of investments in the Russian economy is undergoing changes that are typical for a country with developing market relations. This is evidenced by the dynamics of the volume of investments in non-financial assets (real investments) and financial investments, which have been recorded by Rosstat since 1995 according to the methodology of the International Monetary Fund.

Unfortunately, the Russian Statistical Yearbook does not contain data on the volume of investments in intangible and other non-financial assets. But, given the fact that almost 98% of investments in non-financial assets are investments in fixed assets, we will compare the dynamics of the volume of the latter with the dynamics of financial investments.

In table. Table 1.1 presents data showing how the volume of investments in fixed assets and financial investments of organizations changed in 2000-2009.

During the period under review, the volume of investments in fixed assets increased by almost 19.5 times, and the volume of financial investments increased by more than 123 times. In 2009, the volume of financial investments exceeded the volume of investments in fixed assets by more than 2.8 times. The trend of faster growth of financial investments compared to the growth of investments in non-financial assets in Russia will obviously continue in the near future as the securities market develops.

According to the terms of investments, investments are divided into short-term (for a period of up to one year), medium-term (from one to three years) and long-term (for a period of more than three years).

According to the forms of ownership, public, private, foreign and mixed investments are usually distinguished. This does not exhaust all forms of ownership, therefore, in statistical practice, municipal investments, investments of consumer cooperatives, public and religious organizations (associations) are singled out for this attribute. In addition, mixed investments are divided into mixed Russian and joint Russian and foreign investments. In our opinion, when classifying on this basis, it is necessary to single out the federal property and the property of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation from the composition of state property.

Rice. 1.2. Classification of investments by form of ownership

In statistical practice, various classifications of investments are used according to the directions of their use, for example, investments in fixed capital can be classified by form of ownership, by sectors of the economy, etc.

On a territorial (regional) basis, it is necessary to single out domestic investments invested in domestic facilities, which, in turn, are differentiated by regions of the country; external (foreign) investments invested abroad.

According to the spheres of the economy, production and non-production investments can be distinguished.

In the literature, investments are classified differently according to the degree of investment risk. According to one classification, this attribute distinguishes between aggressive, moderate and conservative investments. The first of them are characterized by high profitability, low liquidity and a high degree of risk. Moderate investments are characterized by a moderate degree of risk, while conservative investments are investments with high liquidity and low risk.

A friend of the classification for this feature is high-yielding, medium-yielding, low-yielding and non-yielding investments 1 .

As part of investments, the so-called autonomous investments are distinguished, which are not associated with a change in the level of income. These include a significant amount of public investment with a long lead time, public investment and investments that are a direct consequence of inventions.

These investments must be distinguished from investments of the same name when classifying investments according to the compatibility of their implementation. This attribute is used to distinguish independent (autonomous) investments that can be implemented as independent of other investment objects in the general investment program of the enterprise, interdependent, the order of implementation or subsequent operation of which depends on other investment objects, and mutually exclusive, which require an alternative choice 1 .

Investments (capital investments) in the main captain are also classified according to the industry purpose of the facilities under construction:

• production facilities;
• objects of agricultural purpose;
• objects of transport and communication;
• housing construction;
• geological exploration work;
• objects of the social sphere (institutions of healthcare, education, culture, trade, etc.).

In international practice, investments are divided into: venture, direct, portfolio and annuity. Venture investments include investments directed to individual entrepreneurs. having a high degree of risk: to direct - investments in fixed capital of enterprises and organizations of the production and non-production sphere. We have already considered the concept of portfolio investment. An annuity includes investments that bring income to the contributor at regular intervals.

Investment structure

Real (non-financial) investments are most often divided into two groups: tangible (material) and intangible. In domestic statistical practice, in the structure of investments in non-financial assets, it is customary to single out:

• investment in fixed assets;
• investments in intangible assets;
• investments in other non-financial assets;
• costs for research, development and technological work.

Investments in fixed assets include all costs for the creation and reproduction of fixed assets, which include: new construction. expansion, as well as reconstruction and modernization of facilities that lead to an increase in the initial cost of facilities and are attributed to the additional capital of the organization, the acquisition of machinery, equipment, vehicles, the costs of forming the main herd, growing perennial plantations, etc. Starting from 2001, investments in fixed capital are accounted without value added tax.

Investments in intangible assets, according to the classification of Rosstat. include objects of intellectual property: patents, copyrights, business reputation of the organization, etc.

TO investments in other non-financial assets the costs of acquiring ownership of land plots, nature management facilities and other non-financial assets are included. The costs of acquiring land plots and objects of natural resources are reflected on the basis of documents issued by state bodies for land resources and land management in accordance with paid or accepted invoices.

Investments in research, development and technological work include costs associated with the performance of work reflected in accounting as investments in non-current assets, for which results are obtained that are subject to legal protection, but not executed in the prescribed manner, or for which results are obtained that are not subject to legal protection in accordance with the norms of the current legislation. In the structure of investments in non-financial assets, investments in fixed assets account for the largest weight, as can be seen from Table. 1.2, which shows the dynamics of this structure for the period 2000 from 2009.

Without objects of small business and parameters of informal activity.

Without investment in the growth of inventories.

Other classifications of real investments can also be used. For example, Yu. Blech and U. Goetze recommend real investments according to the sign (criterion) of their reasons to distinguish between investments for creation, current and complementary (Fig. 1.3).

Investments to create are invested in the opening of a new enterprise or a branch of an existing one. Current investments are sent for current and major repairs and for the replacement (upgrading) of the fleet of machinery and equipment. Complementary investments are directed to the development of production and ensuring safety at the existing production facilities of the enterprise.

Close in structure to the above classification is the classification of the life cycles of the enterprise. In accordance with this feature, initial investments (net investments) are distinguished - for the creation of an enterprise: extensive - for the expansion of an existing enterprise; reinvestment - for the reproduction of fixed assets at an existing enterprise.

At the enterprise level, real investments can also be classified according to its functional areas: logistics, production, sales, etc.

Another classification used at this level provides for the allocation of the following groups of investments: for the replacement of equipment, for the modernization of equipment, for the expansion of production, for diversification and strategic investments.

Rice. 1.3. Types of real investments according to the criterion "reason for investment"

Investments in efficiency improvement. Their goal is primarily to create conditions for reducing the company's costs by replacing equipment, training personnel or moving production facilities to regions with more favorable production conditions.

Investments in increasing production capacity. The objective of such investment is to expand the opportunities for the production of goods for previously formed markets within existing industries.

Investments in the creation of new production capacities. Such investments are designed to create completely new enterprises that will produce goods that were not previously manufactured by the company (or provide a new type of service), or allow the company to attempt to enter new markets with previously produced goods.

Investments for the sake of meeting the requirements of government authorities. This kind of investment becomes necessary when the firm is faced with the need to meet the requirements of the authorities in relation to environmental standards, or product safety, or other operating conditions that cannot be achieved through management improvement alone.

Such a classification of investments is based on a different level of risk characteristic of each of the listed groups.

From the point of view of the investment strategy of the enterprise, it is also recommended to allocate passive investments, which provide, at best, non-deterioration of the profitability of investments. and active, which provide an increase in the competitiveness of the enterprise.