Women are lagging behind their male counterparts and missing out on opportunities when it comes to investing in the next 12 months, according to research by IP Global, a property investment company.
According to the UK survey of 2,000 adults, women in the UK are 10 per cent less likely to invest than men in the next 12 months with just 12 per cent making plans for their finances.
Women’s reluctance to invest is apparent across the world. Across all markets surveyed (UK, UAE, China, Hong Kong and Singapore), women were 15 per cent less likely than men to invest in the next 12 months. China had the biggest gender gap with women 15 per cent less likely to invest in the next 12 months than men.
Shelley Wren, global distribution manager for IP Global, says: “That women are less likely to invest than men demonstrates a lack of financial confidence that is widespread. In the UK and overseas there is a lot that could and should be done, not just to encourage women to invest alongside their male counterparts, but to welcome them into the financial services industry.”
The survey further revealed that only 5 per cent of UK women plan to invest in stocks and shares. This is compared to 35 per cent of women in Singapore, 19 per cent of women in the UAE, 62 per cent of women in Hong Kong and 36 per cent of those in China. Other intangible assets included in the survey were stocks and shares, bonds, art, antiques and FX products.
Wren adds: “That most young people want to invest in tangible assets such as housing is not surprising. In the UK, there is little education provided for our young people on how to make stock market investments or how to manage their long-term finances.
“A likely explanation for this is the jargon used in investment. There are a lot of acronyms used and specialist terms, this is confusing and can put people off, particularly those who haven’t invested before. Removing the mystery that surrounds investment technology and the language used would be a great step forward in encouraging women to invest.”
