Never express profit or return in percentages, it is a red flag. If you are comfortable, say how much was it $100? $500? $5000? If you are not comfortable in sharing that info, then don't mention it. Otherwise, you are not doing a favor to yourself or the reader.
Yes, if you get 8-12% on CD that is great (it is okay to express CD or bond return or mutual fund/ETF return in percentages, there are no surprises there). However, you have to watch the inflation rate. I just looked up the inflation rate at Ecuador from internet and it is saying 1.5% for 2025. I haven't verified it, and you can correct me if I am wrong. If it is really 1.5% then 8% on CD is absolutely amazing. Begs the question, how are banks doing it?
Regardless, if I get 8% on a CD, which is risk-free and my inflation is 2%, I wouldn't look for any alternative investment. However, that is me personally.
Nothing is risk free, it's Ecuador. But the banks have a working insurance, depending on the segment they're in, either 5k, 13k or 32k are insured, and that insurance has worked nicely on the past, as far as I know.
I review the earnings statements and holdings of the bank before I invest, and though I'm no expert, I can spot a few red flags I think. If there's another banking crash, though, that won't help. So I have to have alternative investments. Then comes the additional layer of being from Germany, so I need a cushion there, too, in case Lily wants to study - that's what the stocks are for, since I can't really invest from Ecuador, I do it from Germany.
About percentage or $ numbers, best would be both I think. If I tell you I made 5000€ on PLTR, but don't tell you the percentage it could either be amazing as I only invested 400€, or it could be terrible if it was 2,000,000€.
Yes 5000€ and the percentage makes sense.
Then, portfolio size also matters I'd say. If my portfolio is 5 Mio., 5k doesn't matter. If it's 25k, 5k is a huge amount. A good display might be:
Initial Investment: 273€ (40 shares at 6,83€)
Profits taken: 1703€
Current position: 20 shares, total worth 2700€, 10% of the portfolio, second largest position.
That gives enough information for those watching or reading the person displaying to form a good judgement.