Diversity of Portfolio Definition

Diversity of Portfolio

‘Portfolio Diversity’ means spreading the investment risk by investing in a large number of stocks across various sectors. The concept of diversity stems from the popular adage “It is not advisable to keep all eggs in one basket”.  The expectoration is that in a diversified portfolio a majority will produce average results, a small number will result in loss and a few will do extremely well and the final result will be average of this varied performance. Diversified portfolio is recommended for investors who do not know investing.

 

Diversity of Stock Portfolio

Safety through diversity comes only from a really large number. Having 20 or even 50 stocks will not produce the required diversity. A portfolio of 500 stocks only will ensure adequate diversity. Since purchasing and keeping track of such a large number of stocks is impossible for an individual investor, leaving investing in an index fund, a mutual fund that tracks a diversified index like ‘S&P BSE 500’ as the only viable option.

Diversity provides safety but does not create real wealth. Master value investors like Charlie Munger prefer highly concentrated portfolios. In fact his portfolio comprises of just four stocks!

Bull Market Definition

Bull Market

Bull Market is a condition of the stock market when there is widespread optimism in the market, reflected in high prices of stocks. Often this enthusiasm is unjustified and the two crucial ratios, ‘Price to Earnings’ and ‘Price to Book’ shoot up and make stocks expensive for purchasing.

Many innocent investors enter the stock market at these high levels, lured by the possibility of making a fast buck.

For the discerning value investors a bull market is not the right time to buy but the best opportunity to sell the shares bought and painfully accumulated over a long period of time at lower prices and book profit.

Stock Broker Definition

Stock Broker

A broker or stockbroker in the context of investing is a person or an organisation who will purchase, sell, transact and do all incidental things relating to various financial instruments like shares, bonds, IPOs, etcetera.

In India, as well as many advanced countries, a few decades ago, there used to be individuals who acted as stockbrokers, who would physically go to the stock exchange well or ring and jostling and pushing shout loud to execute buy and sell orders on behalf of their clients.

With widespread awareness, immense increase in volumes, emergence of online trading platforms and large amount of funds required to make settlements with stock exchanges, large financial corporations have replaced the individuals.

 

The New York stock exchange trading floor in September 1963, before the introduction of electronic readouts and computer screens.
Source: EN Wikipedia

With widespread awareness, immense increase in volumes, emergence of online trading platforms and large amount of funds required making settlements with stock exchanges; large financial corporations have replaced the individuals.

Examples:

A few leading stock brokers operating in India