What Investment Risks Should I Know About?

Taken by itself, the word "risk" sounds negative. But broken down into what it really stands for in terms of investing, it begins to be a little more manageable. By understanding the different types of risk and keeping an eye on your investments, you may be able to manage your money more effectively. Remember, strategic investing doesn’t mean "taking chances" so much as "making decisions." Long-term investing and diversification may be some of the most effective strategies you can use to help manage investment risk; however, neither guarantees against investment loss.

Inflation Risk

The main risk from inflation is the danger that it will reduce your purchasing power and the returns from your investments. If your savings and investments are failing to outpace inflation, you might consider investing in growth-oriented alternatives such as stocks, stock mutual funds, variable annuities, or other vehicles.

Interest Rate Risk

Bonds and other fixed-income investments tend to be sensitive to changes in interest rates. When interest rates rise, the value of these investments falls. After all, why would someone pay full price for your bond at 2% when new bonds are being issued at 4%? Of course, the opposite is also true. When interest rates fall, existing bonds increase in value.

Economic Risk

When the economy experiences a downturn, the earnings capabilities of most firms are threatened. While some industries and companies adjust to downturns in the economy very well, others — particularly large industrial firms — take longer to react.

Market Risk

When a market experiences a downturn, it tends to pull down most of its securities with it. Afterward, the affected securities will recover at rates more closely related to their fundamental strength. Market risk affects almost all types of investments, including stocks, bonds, real estate, and others. Historically, long-term investing has been a way to minimize the effects of market risk.

Specific Risk

Events may occur that only affect a specific company or industry. For example, the death of a young company’s president may cause the value of the company’s stock to drop. It’s almost impossible to pinpoint all these influences, but diversifying your investments could help manage the effects of specific risks.

The information in this article is not intended to be tax or legal advice, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek tax or legal advice from an independent professional advisor. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. This material was written and prepared by Emerald. © 2012 Emerald Connect, Inc. 
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Gregory B. McLean, Stephen L. Caruso, Mark Steckler and Lori A. Glennon are Registered Representatives of and offer securities products & services through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker dealer. In this regard, this communication is strictly intended for individuals residing in the states of Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident outside the specific states referenced.

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The views expressed are not necessarily the opinion of Royal Alliance Associates Inc, and should not be construed directly or indirectly, as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Individual circumstances vary.

All Investing involves risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy such as asset allocation can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Therefore, the information presented here should only be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice.

Periodic investment plans such as dollar cost averaging do not assure a profit or protect against a loss in declining markets. Such plans involve continuous investment in securities regardless of fluctuating price levels. Investors should consider their financial ability to continue purchases through periods of low price levels.

Indexes cannot be invested in directly, are unmanaged and do not incur management fees, costs and expenses

Fixed income investments are subject to various risks including changes in interest rates, credit quality, inflation risk, market valuations, prepayments, corporate events, tax ramifications and other factors. Securities sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to a substantial gain or loss. In general, the bond market is volatile as prices rise when interest rates fall and vice versa. Vehicles that invest in lower-rated debt securities (commonly referred to as junk bonds) involve additional risks because of the lower credit quality of the securities in the portfolio. The investor should be aware of the possible higher level of volatility, and increased risk of default.

International investing involves special risks not present with U.S. investments due to factors such as increased volatility, currency fluctuation, and differences in auditing and other financial standards. These risks can be accentuated in emerging markets.