Skip to main content
The Actuary: The magazine of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries - return to the homepage Logo of The Actuary website
  • Search
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on LinkedIn
  • Visit @TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Visit the website of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Logo of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries

Main navigation

  • News
  • Features
    • General Features
    • Interviews
    • Students
    • Opinion
  • Topics
  • Knowledge
    • Business Skills
    • Careers
    • Events
    • Predictions by The Actuary
    • Whitepapers
    • Moody's - Climate Risk Insurers series
    • Webinars
    • Podcasts
  • Jobs
  • IFoA
    • CEO Comment
    • IFoA News
    • People & Social News
    • President Comment
  • Archive
Quick links:
  • Home
  • The Actuary Issues
  • May 2017
05

Men 15% more likely to invest than women

Open-access content Wednesday 17th May 2017 — updated 5.50pm, Wednesday 29th April 2020

Across the UK, UAE, China, Hong Kong and Singapore, women are 15% less likely to invest over the next 12 months than men, according to research by IP Global and YouGov.

2

China was observed to have the biggest gender gap, while in the UK, women are 10% less likely to invest than men, with just 12% of females found to be making plans for their finances.

Across the 5 markets studied, women aged 25-34 were the most likely to make investments over the next 12 months, and those aged over 55 are the most adverse.

"That women are less likely to invest than men demonstrates a lack of financial confidence that is widespread," IP Global distribution manager, Shelley Wren, said.

"In the UK and overseas there is a lot that could and should be done, not just to encourage women to invest alongside their male counterparts, but to welcome them into the financial services industry."

The research involved a survey of 6,007 adults worldwide in March this year, finding that only 5% of UK women plan to invest in stocks and shares, compared with 35% in Singapore, 19% in the UAE, 62% in Hong Kong and 36% in China.

Part of this is thought to be due to a lack of financial education, after research earlier this month showed that 76% of UK employees believe it would help them cope with life issues like planning for retirement if offered at work.

It is also argued that the use of jargon in the investment world is putting people off, and that simplified language would encourage more women to invest.

"A likely explanation for this is the jargon used in investment," Wren continued. "There are a lot of acronyms used and specialist terms that are confusing and can put people off, particularly those who haven't invested before.

"Removing the mystery that surrounds investment technology and the language used would be a great step forward in encouraging women to invest."


Sign up to our free newsletter here and receive a weekly roundup of news concerning the actuarial profession

This article appeared in our May 2017 issue of The Actuary .
Click here to view this issue

You may also be interested in...

2

IFRS 17 set to usher in 'wave of unprecedented change' to insurance industry

The implementation of IFRS 17 will be a major challenge to insurers and investors, fundamentally changing accounting and reporting practices, according to Willis Towers Watson (WLTW).
Wednesday 17th May 2017
Open-access content
2

200,000 immigrants needed each year to avoid 'economic catastrophe'

Net migration will need to be well in excess of 200,000 a year to address the UK’s ageing population and low productivity growth, according to a report from the think tank Global Future.
Friday 19th May 2017
Open-access content
2

Majority of over-55s do not fully understand pension freedoms

Just one third of people aged over 55 believe they have a good understanding of the pension freedoms introduced in 2015, according to research by MetLife.
Friday 19th May 2017
Open-access content
2

More than £500bn in assets under management for investment platforms

UK Investment platforms reported a 3% increase in assets under administration in the first quarter of 2017, with the collective value now at £520bn, according to research by Fundscape.
Monday 15th May 2017
Open-access content
2

Majority of FTSE 100 companies offering cash instead of pensions

Some 84% of FTSE 100 companies now offer employees cash as an alternative to pensions as a result of changes to the lifetime and annual allowance made in April 2016.
Monday 15th May 2017
Open-access content
2

Weak pound sees UK business revenue rise for first time in four years

UK-listed companies saw their collective revenues rise 4.2% to £1.11trn in the first quarter of 2017, according to analysis by The Share Centre.
Monday 15th May 2017
Open-access content

Latest from May 2017

2

Calls for social care fees to be capped at £60,000

Nine in ten people aged over 50 in the UK believe there should be a social care fee cap after PM Theresa May proposed to continue to charge anyone with more than £100,000.
Tuesday 6th June 2017
Open-access content
2

Service sector growth stalls but UK economy 'gains momentum'

The UK service sector experienced a slowdown in growth last month after hitting a four-month peak in April, according to the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Services PMI survey.
Tuesday 6th June 2017
Open-access content
2

Employees leaving UK businesses at risk of cyber attacks

Almost half of UK employees had just 30 minutes or less of cyber security training last year, and the same amount believe opening any email on their work computer is safe.
Tuesday 6th June 2017
Open-access content

Latest from small_opening_image

2

COVID-19 forum for actuaries launched

A forum for actuaries has been launched to help the profession come together and learn how best to respond to the deadly coronavirus sweeping the world.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Travel insurers expect record payouts this year

UK travel insurers expect to pay a record £275m to customers this year as coronavirus grounds flights across the world, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has revealed.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Grim economic forecasts made as countries lockdown

A sharp recession is imminent in the vast majority of developed and emerging economies as the deadly coronavirus forces businesses to shut down across the world.
Tuesday 24th March 2020
Open-access content

Latest from inline_local_link

2

COVID-19 forum for actuaries launched

A forum for actuaries has been launched to help the profession come together and learn how best to respond to the deadly coronavirus sweeping the world.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Travel insurers expect record payouts this year

UK travel insurers expect to pay a record £275m to customers this year as coronavirus grounds flights across the world, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has revealed.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Grim economic forecasts made as countries lockdown

A sharp recession is imminent in the vast majority of developed and emerging economies as the deadly coronavirus forces businesses to shut down across the world.
Tuesday 24th March 2020
Open-access content

Latest from 05

2

Calls for social care fees to be capped at £60,000

Nine in ten people aged over 50 in the UK believe there should be a social care fee cap after PM Theresa May proposed to continue to charge anyone with more than £100,000.
Tuesday 6th June 2017
Open-access content
2

Service sector growth stalls but UK economy 'gains momentum'

The UK service sector experienced a slowdown in growth last month after hitting a four-month peak in April, according to the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Services PMI survey.
Tuesday 6th June 2017
Open-access content
2

Employees leaving UK businesses at risk of cyber attacks

Almost half of UK employees had just 30 minutes or less of cyber security training last year, and the same amount believe opening any email on their work computer is safe.
Tuesday 6th June 2017
Open-access content
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Capital & Reserving, Nearly Newly

London (Greater)
Depending on experience
Reference
149031

Reserving Actuary

Dublin
Competitive
Reference
149027

Senior Analyst - Actuarial and Funding Risk

England, London
£60000 - £65000 per annum + bonus + benefits
Reference
149029
See all jobs »
 
 
 
 

Sign up to our newsletter

News, jobs and updates

Sign up

Subscribe to The Actuary

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
Spread-iPad-slantB-june.png

Topics

  • Data Science
  • Investment
  • Risk & ERM
  • Pensions
  • Environment
  • Soft skills
  • General Insurance
  • Regulation Standards
  • Health care
  • Technology
  • Reinsurance
  • Global
  • Life insurance
​
FOLLOW US
The Actuary on LinkedIn
@TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Facebook: The Actuary Magazine
CONTACT US
The Actuary
Tel: (+44) 020 7880 6200
​

IFoA

About IFoA
Become an actuary
IFoA Events
About membership

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy
Think Green

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to The Actuary Magazine
Contribute

The Actuary Jobs

Actuarial job search
Pensions jobs
General insurance jobs
Solvency II jobs

© 2023 The Actuary. The Actuary is published on behalf of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries by Redactive Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ