An investor looks through stock information at a trading hall of a securities firm in Fuyang City, east China's Anhui Province, April 21, 2015. (Photo/Xinhua)
(ECNS) -- Chinese investors are the most optimistic about this year's investment outlook, according to a global survey recently released by Legg Maxon Global Asset Management.
The company found that 60 percent of Chinese investors plan to increase stock holdings in the next 12 months, the highest among all surveyed.
A majority, or 93 percent of Chinese investors are confident about their capabilities in managing investments and attaining financial goals, and they show the most optimism in performance for 2015. They are also more willing to accept higher risks, compared with their international counterparts, in order to gain higher returns.
Nine out of 10 Chinese investors regard it as important to invest in yield enhancement products, with most preferring stocks and guaranteed income products. Compared with last year, they increased investment in stock products by 26 percent.
Also, more focus is given to domestic markets, with local stocks and bonds viewed as the top two tools to bring the highest returns next year. The number of investors concentrating on domestic stocks rose by 24 percent from last year.
Nevertheless, stock holdings in Chinese investor portfolios still lag far behind those of developed countries. U.S. high-net-worth investors invest 41 percent of their funds in stocks, while the proportion is 31 percent for the UK and only 27 percent for Chinese.
Among Chinese investors, the top three in investment portfolios are stocks (27 percent), cash or cash equivalents (25 percent) and properties (18 percent).
They are also looking for international opportunities, with 79 percent saying they would focus more on overseas markets in the coming 12 months. The countries and regions they say are promising the best opportunities next year are the U.S. (63 percent), China's Hong Kong (48 percent), Australia (37 percent) and Singapore (32 percent).
Moreover, Chinese investors have more realistic expectations for returns in 2015, with the gap between forecasts and actual yields being 2.6 percent, down from last year's 3.7 percent.
For Chinese investors, major barriers for investing in international markets are the unpredictable world economy and a lack of understanding as to risk and investment options, Legg Maxon said.
The company interviewed more than 4,000 investors aged between 40 and 75, who had at least $200,000 usable for investment, from 20 major financial markets in America, Europe and Asia. Chinese investor assets available for investment reached an average $2.5 million with investors aged at around 46.
