New survey reveals 61% of Australian investors are maintaining or increasing investments despite global uncertainties and economic turbulence.
What’s happening: New research from wealth app Sharesies shows 61% of Australian retail investors are maintaining or increasing investments despite global uncertainties, with 73% backing homegrown companies and 77% favouring technology stocks.
Why this matters: The survey of over 2,500 investors reveals Australians are taking a long-term approach to wealth building, with a third planning 20-year investment horizons, signalling confidence in domestic markets despite international volatility.
Australian retail investors are demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of global economic uncertainty, with new research revealing a strong preference for patient wealth-building strategies over reactive trading.
A survey of over 2,500 retail investors by wealth app Sharesies shows that 61% are choosing to maintain or increase their investments despite global uncertainties. A similar number (65%) also admitted to being comfortable with the same, or increased amount of risk in their choice of investments.
The data reveals a striking long-term mindset, with a third of investors (33%) planning to hold their investments for 20 years or more. This patient approach is driven by practical financial goals rather than speculation.
Brooke Roberts, Sharesies Co-founder and Co-CEO, said the research demonstrates growing sophistication among Australian investors.
“Australians are increasingly investing to build long-term wealth. Our research shows that 60% of Sharesies investors have got their investing strategy locked in, with a majority feeling confident about their financial future,” Roberts said.
Local preference
The survey also revealed a strong preference for local assets, with investments in homegrown companies (73%) and ETFs (71%) helping everyday people achieve key personal milestones, such as feeling financially secure (68%), setting themselves up for retirement (56%), and buying their own home (20%).
The top reason Australians invest is to feel financially secure (68%), with paying off mortgage (30%), working by choice (21%), and relying on passive income (16%) being identified as the top 3 factors contributing to the feeling.
Other motivations for retail investors include setting themselves up for retirement (56%), and buying their own home (20%) – which is particularly strong among younger Australians aged 18-24 (49%) and residents of NSW and NT.
Family-oriented milestones are also a significant driver, with 21% of 18-24 year olds investing to support starting a family, 12% of 35-45 year olds investing to fund children’s education, and nearly 20% or higher of those aged 45 years and over investing to build an inheritance for their children – indicating the continuance of wealth transfer and legacy planning.
ESG disconnect
Despite growing environmental and social consciousness, the research exposes a significant gap between investor intentions and actions in sustainable investing.
Two in five investors (43%) claim that sustainability and ESG is an important factor when deciding what to invest in, with younger generations (aged 18-44) being the most considered at 45%. This stands in contrast to the older age groups (45-64) where only 37% share the same view. However, only 4% of respondents reported they hold investments with an ESG focus, highlighting a gap in demand for ESG investments vs confidence about what to invest in.
Tech confidence
Aussies are not only staying the course but also strategically backing industries they believe in, as they look to take advantage of opportunities in Australia’s evolving economic landscape. There’s continued confidence in technology (77%) as the most favoured sector of investment, followed by healthcare (56%), financial services (51%), and resources (39%).
The research indicates that Australians are strategically positioning themselves to benefit from domestic economic evolution rather than retreating from market participation.
The research reveals that confidence in managing wealth and financial futures is evident, with one in four respondents (25%) feeling confident and nearly half (49%) feeling somewhat confident. However, 30% are still developing their investing strategy.
“We see this confidence in investing grow when people have access to the right education, paired with a user-friendly platform, empowering them to directly take action and make informed decisions about their wealth,” she added.
The survey suggests Australian retail investors are taking a strategic approach to wealth building that prioritises long-term financial security, even as global economic conditions remain uncertain.
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