Just over a quarter of consumers would trust financial professionals to generate positive returns with their investments, however the majority of consumers do not want to play an active role in managing their investments through a lack of understanding.
A YouGov survey, commissioned by
Only 27 per cent of 2,323 respondents felt that they could trust financial professionals such as fund managers and financial advisers to generate positive returns with their money.
Of those surveyed, 23 per cent admitted not knowing where they should put their money to generate the best returns, but 55 per cent of respondents would consider taking a more active role in managing their investment portfolio.
Around 35 per cent claimed to be scared of losing money if they were to invest in ‘alternative investments’. Instead, the majority of respondents would still opt for traditional investment options, with 51 per cent claiming that they would currently consider putting their money into a cash Isa.
Steve Ruffley, chief market strategist of spreadbetting firm InterTrader, said: “Traditional investment options no longer come with the same promise of returns they once did. Savings accounts aren’t paying out like they used to, leaving money with a fund managers can be risky and the property market is teetering on the edge of a potential crash.
“As there are no obvious safe havens for people to put their money, many Brits want to take a more active role in their investments. However, few Brits actually feel they understand the investment market enough to move away from mainstream finance options.
“Despite wanting to take more control of their own money, this lack of knowledge of the wider investment landscape and fear of making mistakes could be shackling many Brits to traditional investments.”