Portfolio
A collection of financial investments like stocks, bonds, cash, and other assets held by an individual or institution.
Definition
A portfolio is a collection of financial investments including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, cash, real estate, and alternative investments held by an individual or institution. Portfolio management involves selecting and overseeing these investments to meet long-term financial goals while managing risk. Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), developed by Harry Markowitz, demonstrates that diversification can optimize the risk-return tradeoff. Key portfolio concepts include asset allocation (how investments are divided among asset classes), rebalancing (periodically adjusting allocations back to targets), and the efficient frontier (the set of optimal portfolios offering the highest expected return for a given level of risk).
Related Terms
Asset Allocation
The strategy of dividing investments among different asset categories like stocks, bonds, and cash.
InvestingDiversification
Spreading investments across various assets to reduce risk.
TradingRisk Management
The process of identifying, assessing, and controlling threats to an investment portfolio.
InvestingRebalancing
The process of realigning portfolio weightings by periodically buying or selling assets to maintain target allocation.