The volatile state of equities markets has almost half (44%) of Canadians looking for safer investments to pull them through this unpredictable period and 30% of Canadians checking their portfolios more often, according to a new poll from Toronto-based Bank of Montreal (BMO) released on Tuesday.
The research also found that 53% of survey respondents believe that current market volatility will remain the same or even worsen in 2016.
Financial advisors may want to keep this information in mind as they approach client meetings during RRSP season, as two-thirds of survey participants state they make sure they see their advisors at least once annually. Within that group, 26% say they meet with their advisor at least four times a year.
“It is prudent for investors to take a cautious approach with their investment portfolios in 2016 given the current state of the market,” says Paul Taylor, senior vice president and chief investment officer of asset allocation, BMO Global Asset Management (Canada), in a statement.
“While investors may feel the need to adjust their investment strategy given volatile markets, a more sound approach is to establish a long-term strategy that is consistent with personal objectives and constraints and is constructed to weather capital markets volatility,” he adds.
See: Outlook 2016: Bright spots amid the gloom
It’s not surprising that Alberta, whose economy has been affected dramatically by plunging oil prices, has the highest proportion (41%) of investors looking for safer investments. British Columbia and Atlantic Canada are tied for having the lowest ratio (20%) of investors looking for more secure places in which to invest their money.
Even with current market volatility, almost half (48%) of Canadians still expect the value of their portfolios to increase. Less than one in five (17%) are feeling optimistic enough either to invest more money or look for additional investment opportunities. Only 1% of investors are taking more risks with their money.
The poll also provided some insight into the products that Canadians use to form their portfolios. Mutual funds are the most popular investment vehicle, with 52% of Canadians possessing these in their portfolio, followed by stocks (39%) and guaranteed investment certificates (37%).
The results of this research are based on the responses of 1,000 adult Canadians. Pollara conducted the online survey for BMO between Dec. 18, 2015 and Dec. 21, 2015.