Golden Investment: Where to put your savings for the highest returns.

Many people are currently viewing deposits as a primary and stable tool for preserving savings, especially against the backdrop of regular interest rate increases. According to internal analytics data from "Sravni," the most popular deposit terms this year have been three, six, and twelve months.

To achieve maximum effectiveness and minimize risks, diversifying the investment portfolio remains a key factor. In addition to comparing bank deposit offers (considering rates, interest capitalization, and withdrawal conditions), one should also pay attention to investments in government bonds (OFZ) for stable, albeit moderate, income, as well as precious metals. This recommendation was made by Ilya Vasilkov, the product manager for "Deposits" at "Sravni."

Riskier but potentially higher-yield options include stocks and mutual funds (PIFs). Investing in cryptocurrency requires a deep understanding of the market and a high tolerance for risk, making it unsuitable for everyone.

— Currently, bank deposits are the most advantageous financial instrument by many metrics. The yield over the year is around 25%, with guaranteed income even in the event of a bank's bankruptcy due to the resources of the Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA), and simplicity (no additional knowledge or skills required). No exchange-traded instrument can offer similar guarantees in a relatively short period, — stated Alexander Shneiderman, head of client support and sales at "Alfa-Forex."

Currency as an investment tool lags behind others, as the returns from deposits in rubles are significantly higher than in other currencies. However, for diversification purposes, deposits in yuan can be considered, as they offer interest rates that are even unavailable in China. This opinion was expressed by Valery Tumin, director of the Russian and CIS markets at fam Properties.

According to him, traditional instruments such as investments in gold or real estate can help grow capital. Given the high cost of housing and the inaccessibility of mortgage loans, commercial real estate is attracting increasing attention.

For many, the choice of a deposit seems obvious, considering the current risk-return ratio. However, this instrument has several drawbacks. By placing money in a bank for a year or longer, you will not be able to switch it to a higher interest rate without losing income in case of further rate increases. Additionally, one should not forget about the income tax on deposits, which can be quite significant for larger amounts. Furthermore, a high interest rate often implies an inability to make withdrawals or deposits during the term of the deposit. This was discussed by Alexander Shepelev, an expert in the stock market at "BCS World of Investments."

According to him, the stock market offers instruments and solutions that provide not only more flexibility in managing finances but also a variety of options for achieving higher income. It is no coincidence that almost a million new private investors entered the Moscow Exchange in October and November. Among the current opportunities are money market funds, which are currently attracting record amounts. Their yields are close to the Central Bank's key rate: the higher it is, the more profit the investor makes. Essentially, this is an analogue of a deposit where income at the level of the key rate is accrued daily. This is a suitable option for temporarily "parking" free funds and maximizing benefits from favorable market conditions.

Another popular instrument, similar to a deposit in terms of risk-return ratio, is bonds, especially floaters. For floaters, the coupon size, regularly paid to the investor, closely follows the key rate. This is also a flexible and liquid instrument — one can switch to other assets or lock in profits at any time. For floaters with a short maturity (up to six months), the yield can be higher than that of a deposit.

— Finally, despite the stock market decline due to high rates and geopolitical issues, forward-thinking investors should consider undervalued securities. Quality assets are being sold at significant discounts to their fair prices. According to multiples, our market is currently undervalued by almost two times, and its dividend yield is among the highest in the world. With the prospect of geopolitical improvements and the transition to a reduction in the Central Bank's key rate in 2025, the Moscow Exchange index could rise by a third from current levels, — believes Alexander Shepelev.

An interesting instrument at the moment is the purchase of federal loan bonds. The Ministry of Finance is currently offering bonds at record rates averaging 18%. Yes, this is lower than a deposit, but you won't stop receiving income after a year (the future yield depends on the Bank of Russia's monetary policy). There are bonds with maturities of five years or more, so in the long run, this instrument could be more profitable than a deposit. This is the opinion of Oleg Kalmanovich, chief analyst at Neomarkets.

— In the current economic situation, growing savings requires a more active approach than traditional bank deposits. Although banks offer quite high rates of up to 24.6% per annum, these rates only partially offset inflationary processes and do not provide real capital growth. To increase savings, it is essential to seriously engage in investments and trading. This means a deep study of financial markets and understanding various investment instruments. It is important not just to put money into a deposit but to actively invest in stocks, bonds, index funds, gold coins, and consider cryptocurrency market opportunities, — noted financial analyst Vladislav Antonov from BitRiver.