A high return is what every investor is after, but it's not the only factor that matters. When reviewing investments, professionals look not only at absolute return potential but also something called "risk-adjusted return."
Through that lens, you might prefer an investment that pays just 2% a year over one that's returning 20%. Why? Because if that 2% return is guaranteed, such as via a U.S. Treasury, but the path to the 20% return involves the risk of losing 40%, that steady 2% could be a better value over time, based on its low risks -- especially for a risk-averse investor.
For the individual investor, this balance is all the more important. If you understand how comparing investments requires looking at both returns and the risk with equal weight, you can understand how even a tiny return can be a great deal if the investment is really risk-free.
Here are the nine best safe investments with high returns.