Stock investment decisions generally present a greater variety of issues for the investor than for the person putting money into mutual funds. Here you will gain insight into the comparison between these two types of investment.
-------------------------
Which One is Better for Investing: Mutual Funds or StocksBy Mostafa Soleimanzadeh
Comparison between Mutual Funds and Stocks
Diversification
Mutual fund companies invest in a variety of stocks, bonds, and money-market investments, so mutual funds carry much lower risk than stocks.
Professional Management
Mutual funds enable investors to pool their money and place it under professional investment management. These managers have been around the industry for a long time and have the academic credentials to back it up.
[Editor’s note: With stock investment, you--or your broker--are the management and that may be good, depending on your information sources.]
Greater Upside Potential
Individual stocks have a greater upside potential than most mutual funds. Fluctuation in stocks is greater than mutual funds, so you have greater chance to earn more return.
Risk and Return
In general, Risk and return depend each other, the greater the risk, the higher the potential return; the lower the risk, the lower the expected return. Mutual funds try to reduce their risk by investing in a diversified group of individual stocks, bonds, or other securities.
[Editor’s note: Mutual funds come in a variety of ranges of risk and expected rates of return. Selections of individual stocks also come in a variety of ranges of risk -- witness stock investment in dividend-paying blue chip stocks versus speculative stocks that do not pay meaningful dividends. Risk is often tied to the price variability of a stock investment.]
Efficiency
Mutual funds have large sums of money to invest and often they trade commission-free and have personal contacts at the brokerage firms.
Conclusion
By investing in stocks you can get more return than mutual funds but, by investing in mutual funds your risk is lower. Mutual funds are great for funding retirement plans and investors that don't have the time or energy to consider individual stocks.
It is noticeable that most expert traders in stock market invest in mutual funds too. I recommend investing in both of mutual funds and stocks but, if you have experience, time and energy you can invest most of your money in individual stocks.
By Mostafa Soleimanzadeh.
Investing in the Stock Market Tips,
Learn how to Invest in Mutual Funds.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mostafa_Soleimanzadeh
----------------------
Technorati tags:
mutual funds,
stocks,
investment,
stock investment.