Читать книгу More Straight Talk on Investing - John J. Brennan - Страница 15

Building your confidence as an investor begins with developing some level of knowledge on the subject. Yes, you must be willing to put a little time into understanding the fundamentals of investing. But not much time! I am talking about knowledge at the very basic level.

There's no need to immerse yourself in thick treatises on financial theory. You don't have to subscribe to investment newsletters or attend seminars. You don't need to watch the financial news networks for the latest insights on why the markets did whatever they did today or this week or month, nor do you have to start each day knowing what happened in the Asian markets or in the Chicago futures pits in overnight trading. None of that is essential homework for individual investors concerned with their serious money.

But before you put your dollars in any investment at any firm, you do need some fundamental knowledge. Right now, I'm going to tell you what you need to know at a baseline level, saving the details for later.

First, you need to know a little about three primary types of investments, or asset classes. You've heard of them: They are stocks, bonds, and cash. (Cash means not just cash money, but ready stashes for it, like a bank savings account, certificate of deposit, or a money market mutual fund.) We cover each in our first Baseline Basics call-out box.