HNW investors shunning shares for cash

cent/property/financial-crisis/financial-adviser/

24 March 2010
| By Lucinda Beaman |
image
image
expand image

High-net-worth investors have become increasingly risk-averse in the wake of recent share market turbulence, with a majority now naming cash as their preferred investment, according to research conducted by CoreData.

CoreData surveyed 1,700 Australians with investment assets of more than $1 million between November 2009 and February this year.

CoreData principal Andrew Inwood said there had been “significant growth in the number of high-net-worth individuals leaning towards ultra-conservative investment decisions”.

The research found 43 per cent of those surveyed registered as risk-averse in 2009, compared to only 11.5 per cent in 2007. Inwood said the change in the risk profile of these investors was a clear reaction to the losses they suffered during the recent market falls.

Core Data said more than 50 per cent of the high-net-worth individuals surveyed rated cash and cash-like assets as the best investment option, with property and Australian and international shares falling behind in preference.

More than half of those surveyed lost between 21 per cent and 30 per cent of their investment wealth during the financial crisis.

Less than 40 per cent of the investors surveyed have an ongoing relationship with a financial adviser. CoreData pointed to an “overall” satisfaction with the services being offered by planners, while also saying there was a “relatively poor” level of satisfaction regarding planners’ investment performance. CoreData said close to 70 per cent of high-net-worth investors would change providers if their investment performance continued to deteriorate.

Read more about:

AUTHOR

Recommended for you

sub-bgsidebar subscription

Never miss the latest news and developments in wealth management industry

MARKET INSIGHTS

So we are now underwriting criminal scams?...

2 months 2 weeks ago

Glad to see the back of you Steve. You made financial more expensive, not more affordable as you claim, and presided ...

2 months 3 weeks ago

Completely agree Peter. The definition of 'significant change is circumstances relevant to the scope of the advice' is s...

4 months 3 weeks ago

ASIC has suspended the Australian Financial Services Licence of a Melbourne-based financial advice firm....

6 days 17 hours ago

The corporate regulator has issued infringement notices to three AFSLs whose financial advisers provided personal advice to a retail client while unregistered....

1 week 4 days ago

ASIC has released the results of its first adviser exam to be held in 2025, with 241 candidates attempting the test....

2 weeks 2 days ago

TOP PERFORMING FUNDS

ACS FIXED INT - AUSTRALIA/GLOBAL BOND