Investment has Different Meaning

Definition
Investment involves employment of funds with the aim of achieving additional income or growth in values.
  • Lending money to another [interest]
  • Purchasing of gold[value appreciation]
  • Purchase of insurance plan[promised future benefits]
The essential quality of an investment is that it involves waiting for a reward.

Different Definitions for Investment
Investment may be defined as:
“a commitment of funds made in the expectation of some positive rate of return”  OR

“a sacrifice of current money or other resources for future benefits”.

Expectation of return is an essential element of Investment
  • Return is expected to be realized in future
  • Future is uncertain
  • Expected return > realized return  - variation
  • Variation in income is risk
Numerous avenues of investment are available today, such as, 
  • Non marketable financial assets
  • Bonds
  • Mutual fund schemes
  • Real assets
  • Equity shares 
  • Life insurance policies 
  • Financial derivatives and
  • Precious objects