Banks are one of the genuine investors in the securities market. Banks invest in the market in the hope of earning some return. However the investment of funds by banks involves borrowed funds and hence their prime concern is the safety of the funds invested. A banker therefore select the securities very carefully and follow the following principles of sound investments:
1. Safety of principal: A banker deals in borrowed funds and therefore his main consideration is safety of principal invested in securities. The banker has to ensure that the principal invested in securities. The banker has to ensure that the principal amount invested by him remain safe. The safety of investments depend on the solvency and ability of the issuing authorities to honour their commitment made to the investors. The government and semi-government securities are the safest securities because they are guaranteed by the government.
2. Price stability: The price of security selected by the banker should remain stable. The safety of investments depends on the stability in the prices of securities. Banker is not a speculator and hence his object of buying security should not be to gain by a possible rise in the price of securities which are liable to wide fluctuations in their prices and should prefer those securities whose prices remain fairly stable over a period of time. The Prices of government securities remain stable and do not fluctuate.
3. Marketability or liquidity: The primary objective of buying securities by the banker is to earn income and at the same time maintain his liquidity position. Thus, the banker should see that the security in which he invests his funds possesses a ready market i.e. they can be sold in the market without loss of time and money. Marketability of securities ensure liquidity of investments Government and semi-government securities are highly liquid as they have a ready market.
4. Profitability of yield: After ensuring the safety of the principal money invested in securities, the banker should consider the returns from the investments. In other words, the banker should not give undue importance to higher yields at the cost of safety. The banker should not expect windfall profit, because high profit may bear the germ of loss.
5. Diversification of Investment: The banker should diversify the risk involved in investment by investing in wide variety of securities issued by wide variety of business enterprises belonging to different trade and industry.
6. Refinance: To ensure the liquidity of his investments the banker has to see that the security is eligible to obtain refinance from the Central Bank and other refinancing institutions.
7. Duration: In addition to the above factor, a banker also considers the duration and denomination of security and its future earnings prospects.
