Retirement priority for just 18% of Indian investors: Study

Retirement is the priority investment goal for only 18 per cent of Indian investors, compared to 50 per cent of global investors, according to a study by CFA Institute and Greenwich Associates. About 80 per cent of Indian investors were worried about an impending financial crisis within the next three years, up from about 60 per cent in 2018.

These findings were part of a global survey of 3,525 retail investors and 921 institutional investors, including 200 retail investors and 75 institutional investors from India. Most Indian investors say it is important for their advisers to give them access to new investment products before they become widely available. Top attributes when deciding on a financial adviser includes the latter's propensity to act in the client's best interest and the ability to achieve high returns.

About 78 per cent of Indian investors would lose trust in their adviser after one year of poor performance, as compared to 40 per cent of investors globally. A similar number of investors said they were willing to invest in a fund that used artificial intelligence for its selection process.

When it comes to ESG investing, the priority 91 per cent of Indian investors said they would give up some return for values-based objectives (compared to 67 per cent of investors globally). Nearly a third of these investors are interested in ESG to express personal values or to make a positive impact on society, while 60 per cent are looking for higher returns, and 10 per cent expect both.