One of the main signs that investors remain skeptical about the economic recovery is that plenty of money remains on the sidelines. A new survey suggests, moreover, that the skittishness of the American investor caused in particular by the markets' swoon in 2008 may have quite long lasting effects among investors of all kinds, even higher-net-worth ones.
The "Americans' Investing Outlook Post-Financial Meltdown" survey, conducted in late August on behalf of the international consulting firm AlixPartners, found that 49% of those who identified themselves as "previous investors" said they had either stopped or reduced investing in stocks or mutual funds. A further 26% reported they "had no intention of investing" in either stocks or mutual funds in the next three years, while 27% said they were unsure.
For those who reported having annual incomes of more than $75,000, 21% of previous investors reported having stopped investing altogether in stocks or mutual funds. As for the gender gap, 32% of of female investors said they were more likely not to invest over the next three years, compared to 21% of men.
