The success of a financial plan depends on investments spread across various asset classes and investment instruments. However, the investments must be effective and based on your investment goals, risk appetite, and time horizon to help you accumulate adequate wealth over time. One single loss-making investment can drastically lower the overall investment value and undermine years of progress your portfolio has made. Most investors adjust their portfolios by selling current investments and making fresh ones every year to factor in market changes and ensure their portfolio is on the right path to achieving the set investment goals.

If you are looking to invest in 2024, it is vital to know the best investment options in 2024. This blog will help you learn about the best investment options in 2024 in India based on three factors:

• Low-risk investments
• Medium-risk investments
• High-risk investments

If you are looking for a safe investment option, you can consider fixed deposit. They offer guaranteed returns and a fixed interest rate throughout your investment tenure.

• Investments are assets or securities purchased with the aim of generating future returns or income.
• Most investors base their investments on their financial goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon to ensure they invest in the most suitable investment instruments.
• Based on risk tolerance, investments are divided into low-risk, medium-risk, and high-risk investments.
• While low-risk investments offer safety, they have low return potential. On the other hand, high-risk investments offer the highest returns but also carry the highest risk of losses.

Low-risk investments have low associated risks and are considered safer, with a negligible possibility of incurring a loss. Such investments do not see rapid price fluctuations, as market-linked factors do not generally affect them. Most low-risk investments are fixed-income instruments providing regular interest payouts.

Here are some low-risk investments:

• Public Provident Fund: This is a government-backed savings scheme with a lock-in period of 15 years. It provides regular interest and offers tax benefits under section 80C.
• Fixed deposits: FDs are offered by banks and financial institutions and provide fixed interest at regular intervals.
• Debt mutual funds: These funds invest in safe bonds and government securities. They offer steady returns with less risk than stock market funds.
• Government bonds: These bonds are issued by central and state governments and have negligible risk. They offer regular interest payouts and principal repayment at maturity.

Medium-risk investments are instruments with higher associated risk than low-risk investments and higher return potential. They are ideal for investors with a medium risk appetite who want to earn slightly higher returns than low-risk investments.

Here are some medium-risk investments:

• Balanced mutual funds: These funds invest in a mix of stocks and bonds, offering a balanced approach to investing.
• Corporate bonds: These are issued by companies and offer higher returns than government bonds but come with some risk.
• Dividend-paying stocks: These are stocks with moderate volatility but good financial performance and pay dividends regularly.
• Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs): ETFs pool money from investors to buy a mix of assets, such as stocks, bonds, or commodities, but are affected by market factors.

High-risk investments have the highest associated risk and see rapid price fluctuations based on significant volatility. Although these investments have the highest risks, they also have the highest return potential.

Here are some high-risk investments:

• Stocks: Investing directly in individual company shares can offer high returns but can lead to losses as the market is volatile and unpredictable.
• Equity mutual funds: These types of mutual funds invest mainly in stocks, providing the potential for higher returns but with market risk.
• Commodities trading: Trading in gold, oil, or other commodities can be profitable, but prices can fluctuate sharply based on global events.
• Foreign exchange: Trading in currency pairs has significant return potential, but the investments are risky as they are affected by exchange rates and other market factors.

You can consider investing Bajaj Finance Fixed Deposit. With a top-tier AAA rating from financial agencies like CRISIL and ICRA, they offer one of the highest returns, up to 7.30% p.a.

Every investment you make directly affects the current investment value of your portfolio. Hence, you should ensure that your investments are always based on your current investment goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon. You can analyse the investment instruments mentioned above after determining your risk tolerance. You can also choose multiple investment instruments for a balanced investment approach. Now that you know the best investment options for investing in 2024, you can ensure better portfolio health.