English for Business Studies
Als Sekretärin brauchen Sie ein breitgefächertes Wissen, auch über BWL. Mit Secretary Today lernen Sie die wichtigsten Begriffe der Betriebswirtschaft.
What is a portfolio?
a) the property and equipment owned by a company
b) a collection of investments owned by an individual
c) a special kind of high-risk share package
The answer is b). But this word also has three other meanings.
Originally, ‘portfolio’ was the name for a large, thin, flat case used by artists to store sheets of paper. Another meaning of the word ‘portfolio’ is the range of products offered by a company. “BMW’s portfolio ranges from small vehicles to the luxury class.”
The word is also used to describe the duties of a state minister or a member of the cabinet: “John Smith took on the Foreign Affairs portfolio.” In the financial world, the word ‘portfolio’ is used to describe a collection of investments all owned by the same individual or organisation. These investments often include stocks, bonds and mutual funds.