6th, October, 2022, LONDON –

New research from finder.com has found that younger generations are reacting erratically to the recent falls in global stock markets.

Despite almost all major indices and many individual stocks falling in 2022, 15% of gen Z (aged 16-24) investors invested more, followed by 11% of millennial investors. This indicates that the younger generation are considerably more open to taking risks with their investments. Older generations were much more cautious during these periods of uncertainty, with only 3% of baby boomers (aged 55-74) choosing to invest further, and 7% of the silent generation (aged 75+).

Not only were gen Z the most bold when it came to investing more, 37% of these investors chose to diversify or swap their investments – more than any other generation. These numbers suggest that younger generations are more likely to react fast to turbulence in the stock markets. In comparison, the silent generation were the least likely to diversify (7%) closely followed by baby boomers (9%).

Gen X (aged 40-54) were the most likely to sell during these rough periods, with almost a quarter (24%) of investors within this generation choosing to reduce or sell their holdings following stock market difficulty. Millennials (aged 25-39) weren’t far behind, with 20% of this generation selling or reducing their stocks.

The silent generation and baby boomers were the least likely to sell, with 11% and 17% respectively opting to cash in. These 2 generations were also the most likely to hold or consolidate their investments (29% of baby boomers and 33% of the silent generation).

This indicates a level of experience when it comes to stock market turbulence, with these older generations more likely to calmly ride out the storm rather than react on impulse.

Almost 1 in 5 UK investors sold or reduced their stock holdings following the market turmoil of 2022.

Across all age groups, the study found that almost 1 in 5 (18%) of UK investors took action to sell or reduce their holdings in 2022, and a further 23% claimed to have diversified or swapped their investments.

On the other hand, 24% of UK investors held or consolidated their investments, and a further 9% purchased more, indicating a confidence amongst this minority that the markets would recover.

The study also analysed data provided by investment platform Freetrade. The data compares the most popular stocks among new users on the platform during July 2021 vs July 2022. While three quarters (76%) of the top 30 investments from 2021 were in just 3 categories, this percentage shrank to 53% as new customers diversified their first picks in 2022.

To see the research in full visit: https://www.finder.com/uk/how-to-buy-shares#report

Commenting on the findings, Zoe Stabler DipFA, senior investment writer at finder.com, said:

“It’s clear from this research that younger investors are less content to ride out this market disruption and are chopping and changing their investments more than their older counterparts. Generally speaking, younger investors are able to take more risks as they have longer to correct mistakes, so investing more when markets are down – ‘buying the dip’ – could be a successful strategy for those with spare capital, but of course there’s a chance that things will continue to get worse before they get better.

“When it comes to diversification, it is said that any investing losses aren’t ‘real’ until someone sells a stock, and this is worth considering for those tempted to sell their investments for a loss in order to chase the stocks that are in fashion currently.

“Here are some tips for dealing with a bear market: