Women better investors? International study says yes

It's a function of having the time to actually look at this area and do the analysis rather than some innate gender capability. Rebecca Thomas, Mint Asset Management.

A new international study shows women are better investors than men.

But New Zealand women are still achieving lower investment returns, on average.

Research from Fidelity Investments found that, among its eight million clients worldwide, women had, on average, an investment return that was 0.4 per cent higher than men’s over the year and also did better over the past 10 years.

They were taking less risk, but in a positive way, with fewer invested entirely in equities and more in better diversified portfolios.

ANZ general manager of wealth products and marketing Anamarie Lockyer said it was good to see positive research about women’s investment experiences. But she said New Zealand women had some way to go yet.

Lockyer said overall, across all ANZ schemes, men had an average balance of $15,000 compared to $12,000 for women.

That gap has become bigger over time. In 2015, there was $2100 difference.

One area where New Zealand women had a similar experience to that of Fidelity’s clients was investment risk.

‘‘The few times we have seen women close the average balance gap has been when there is volatility in the market and they have been sheltered from that with less growth assets and more conservative assets, relative to men,’’ Lockyer said.

Rebecca Thomas, of Mint Asset management, said people who would do better as investors were those who had the time and the inclination to review their investments, regardless of their gender.

‘‘Women might say they are too busy doing other stuff and have not had the time to spend looking at this area. It’s a function of having the time to actually look at this area and do the analysis rather than some innate gender capability.’’