Closing the investing and gender gap; while female investing interest soars

Female investing interest is soaring

The number of female and younger investors has surged since the pandemic and these trends are expected to continue. At Saxo, we have also seen a large increase of new female clients, with about a third of our new monthly clients being female, and most of them aged between 31-50.

Not only are we seeing more females invest than ever before, but these trends are set to continue, with women’s wealth to grow by $5 trillion globally every year, according to the Boston Consulting Group.

Most of the growth in female wealth is expected in Europe. European women’s assets are forecast to grow at a 8.1% compound annual growth rate, relative to the 2.7% estimated for men through to 2030 according to a McKinsey study. And on a cumulative basis, European women’s share of investments is forecasted to grow to 45% of global assets under management by 2030.

Taking action when it comes to investing is key, given inflation is still sticky and at historical highs 

We are finding that some investors have the desire to growth their wealth, and have a high risk profile, but are perhaps potentially complacent, as they are holding their funds in cash. The danger of doing this at a time when inflation is still at multi-decade highs, means, you are theoretically losing money, as you are receiving a negative real return. 

At Saxo, we advocate investors have a longer-term investment plan. For a typical balanced investor this might mean having a diversified mix of assets such as shares, bonds, gold and foreign exchange (FX) exposure. This will allow you to grow your wealth over time, even in the face of market crises and short-term volatility. Coupled with that, research also suggests if you have a balanced portfolio, you have the ability to outperform the market over a 10-year period, while also experiencing less volatility.

When it comes to picking shares to potentially add to your portfolio, it’s worthwhile reflecting on the fact that research suggests, businesses with women at the helm can perform better. A study from S&P Global showed that businesses with female CEOs saw a 20% increase in stock price momentum, in the two years following their appointments. More broadly and over the longer term, research also suggests that companies with a higher representation of females on their boards saw long-term performance.

Saxo’s Women in Leadership investment theme, enables investors to zoom in on companies that have a high percentage of women in their leadership teams.

To share two examples, BHP has five women on their board of directors, plus five women in its leadership team. BHP shares have risen 76% over five years. Another company in Saxo’s Women in Leadership basket is Lululemon, it has six women on its board, including Martha Morfitt, Chair of the Board. Lululemon shares have risen 295% in five years. Meanwhile, the US benchmark index, the S&P500 has gained 54%, while the Dow Jones (a measure of the biggest 30 US stocks), has gained 38% over five years.

To sum up, consider that investing some of your money in this thematic, could help you generate returns over the longer term, while also allowing you to have a hand in financing the kind of future you want to see.

And finally, given industry data suggests that females are finding it hard to navigate some financial platforms, and many of these females are unsure of how to identify potential investing opportunities, Saxo has created platforms that are easier to navigate, particularly for first-time investors. Further to this, we also give our clients access to a multitude of equity theme baskets, including the Women in Leadership investment theme. Saxo's array of equity theme baskets feature lists of stocks and ETFs, that are aimed at giving ready access to investing inspiration.