Monday, October 14, 2013

Investing In Energy

By Cleveland Jernigan


Energy is important to every person and to every industry. We need fuel for our cars and electricity for our homes and businesses. We are dependent on some type of energy and while our dependency might seem like a weakness, when it comes to investing, it can be a benefit. Investing in some type of energy can be an excellent way to increase the value of your financial portfolio.

Just as there are many forms of energy, there are also many forms of investments in energy. For example, you can find a specific energy sector company and purchase some stocks in that firm. Another option is to look into energy exchange-traded funds or perhaps a mutual fund with investments in energy-related companies.

The stock market has rebounded somewhat from its instability of a few years ago, but it still can be a risky venture. There is great potential for high profits or just solid and steady growth, but there is always the possibility that your stock could plummet in value at some point. This is why it is important to research any company in which you hope to invest and perhaps speak with a financial planner or advisor.

Funds include many different companies or holdings, and because they are diversified, the risk of loss is lower. This is true of both mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Of course, you can still lose a good amount of money, as no investment is every entirely safe. But generally a fund will produce some steady growth and makes a great long-term investment. You aren't always guaranteed a profit, of course, but you will have the comfort of knowing that one company in your fund can drop in value without significantly affecting the total value of the fund.

There are some key differences between ETFs and mutual funds. Mutual funds have been around longer and often are better managed than ETFs. ETFs, on the other hand, have some important tax advantages, and when you sell your shares, the fees associated with ETFs usually are lower than mutual funds. The way the value of these two funds types is set also differs. During the trading day, stocks rise and fall in price and you can sell at any time. ETFs are just like stocks in that regard, which means if your ETF value is high in the middle of the trading day, you can sell it off for a better price than it might be worth at the end of trading. With mutual funds, the value is set at the end of trading, so even if you sell the shares during trading, you will sell at the rate set at the end of trading on the previous day.

There are hundreds of energy stocks, mutual funds and ETFs to consider for your investments. You can invest in a traditional type of energy, such as oil or coal, or opt to invest in an alternative energy stock or alternative energy fund or ETF. Alternative energy would include solar, wind and hydroelectric power.

In addition to the type of energy in which you wish to invest, you also can invest in energy in different geographic areas. You can invest in a China fund that is concentrated on energy companies or an Africa fund that focuses on energy or perhaps a fund or stock based in the United States. While no investment is ever guaranteed, energy and natural resources are highly important so there are always plenty of opportunities for investors.




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