Italian end investors looking for security during current trying times

Research by Fundamental Media also found that financial advisers are more popular in Italy than in other European markets

Key findings:

• High inflation and skyrocketing energy prices have resulted in a third of Italians saving less than they did a year ago, while only 21% are saving more
• Italian investors review their portfolio much more often than their peers in other markets, which suggests they might also have a closer relationship with their advisers
• The use of financial advisers is the highest in Italy, with 32% of end investors using an adviser

The current market environment has driven many Italian investors towards seeking security, with almost a third of them planning to review the type of investment products they hold, research by Fundamental Media has found.

High inflation and skyrocketing energy prices have resulted in a third of Italians saving less than they did a year ago, while only 21% are saving more. While a third of investors are planning to review the type of products they hold, an additional 17% of respondents plan to change their asset allocation. Older investors are a lot less likely to act and make changes to protect their investments.

In another sign of the struggles faced by the average Italian end investor, our research found that the overall confidence in having enough savings upon retirement decreased compared to 2018, with the need to look after their family being the main reason for not saving more.

For our 2022 European end investors report series, we surveyed 1,070 end investors in the UK, 1,089 end investors in Italy, 1,163 end investors in Germany and 1,068 end investors in France.

Italian investors review their portfolio much more often than their peers in other markets, which suggests they might also have a closer relationship with their advisers. This is further evidenced by how actively they are involved in investment decisions. Like end investors in other markets, they tend to review their advisers’ propositions, but 45% are proactively contacting their advisers if they hear about new investment products. This is the highest percentage seen across the markets surveyed. Italian investors are also the least likely to delegate all investment decisions to their advisers.

At 32%, the use of financial advisers is also the highest in Italy. Advisers are the main source of information for investors looking for investments and the second most used channel to invest after banks.

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