Investing is an action that a person, company, or project performs in order to gain a profitable return. Investments can be made in financial and economic businesses, as well as a personal finance. In the financial world, people invest in monetary assets such as real estate or bonds in hopes of earning capitol gaining. In the economic world, the purchase of capital goods that are intended to be used in the future. In personal finance, people buy shares in order to purchase assets where capital risk can either cause the investor to gain or lose money. However, this is often confused with savings. Investments in personal finance only when an asset's value may possibly shift.