Malta Association of Small Shareholders urges investors to join association

There is certainly a big need for the retail investor to join forces to defend his interests. The investment world is full of risks and if there is no one to guide the investor, the risk is even much greater.

Investment advice to the man in the street is very lacking in Malta and, as this country has now become an important financial centre, the Maltese are continually being enticed by many financial providers to buy their products.

This will certainly result in many retail investors falling for this enticement and, due to the lack of guidance, it is very probable that they will invest haphazardly and will later regret their decision when they realise that the investment they bought was not adequate for their circumstances.

Unfortunately, most Maltese investors have not yet realised that it is necessary that they join an association like MASS, in fact there is presently less than 1% of Maltese investors who have joined the Malta Association of Small Investors.

At this moment, MASS is going through an intensive exercise to encourage the Maltese investor to join the association. Every month it organises a conference during which a professional speaker talks about a subject which is of interest to investors.

Those who attend are invited to become members and all they pay as membership is five euros yearly. This covers the monthly mailing of the association’s newsletter, that they are advised whenever MASS has an event which they can attend free of charge as well as various notices giving them information which concerns the investor.

MASS is continually in contact with all companies quoted on the Malta Stock Exchange. It also keeps contact with most companies who offer investment advice. This ensures that, as much as possible, the local investor would be warned about any risk which arises.

This year the association will be making a survey which will give it better information about the reaction of the investment consumer to the movements in investment prices and other changes. This will ensure that the association will be in a better position to help the investor.

The investor is urged to become a member of this association so as to ensure that someone is taking care of his interests. For more information, one should access the website: www.mass.org.mt or send an email to: info@mass.org.mt.