Investors in equities may have several financial objectives, including long-term capital appreciation and attractive dividends. Although stock prices may fluctuate more than other asset classes, such as Treasury bonds, long-term investors hope to be rewarded for the risk with potentially higher returns. Equities are also seen as a way to preserve purchasing power by potentially keeping up with or outperforming inflation. Finally, investors may use equities to diversify a portfolio of other asset classes, including bonds and real estate.