Consumer faith in stock markets returning
One-third of Australians believe the share market will be the most profitable sector over the coming year, according to a Loan Market poll.
Thirty-one per cent of the 823 respondents to the online poll felt that residential property was the best bet, and 9 per cent picked commercial property.
However, there is still an undercurrent of caution in consumer sentiment. One in 10 respondents to the survey said that the best-performing sector over the coming year would be cash - and 17 per cent thought they would be better off "putting their money under the mattress".
The poll also found that younger Australians had a bias towards property as an investment vehicle.
Of the Gen Y respondents to the survey, only 27 per cent chose shares as the most profitable sector over the coming year, while 31 per cent selected property, according to a Loan Market spokesperson.
"With savings being a particular priority for many Australians and caution being applied to nearly every financial decision, shares and property hold the most attractive risk/reward balance," said the spokesperson.
Recommended for you
Unregistered managed investment scheme operator Chris Marco has been sentenced after being found guilty of 43 fraud charges, receiving the highest sentence imposed by an Australian court regarding an ASIC criminal investigation.
ASIC has cancelled the AFSL of Sydney-based Arrumar Private after it failed to comply with the conditions of its licence.
Two investment advisory research houses have announced a merger to form a combined entity under the name Delta Portfolios.
The top five licensees are demonstrating a “strong recovery” from losses in the first half of the year, and the gap is narrowing between their respective adviser numbers.

