Female investor participation in India below global average

India, the sixth-biggest equity market globally, ranks in the bottom quartile when it comes to female participation in the stock markets. According to data by Brokerchooser, a platform that helps compare brokerages online. While the investment arena globally is maledominated, the gender gap in India is wider, with women making up for just 21 out of 100 investors. Other emerging market (EM) peers like China (34 per cent), South Africa (33 per cent) and Malaysia (29 per cent) are faring better. The Philippines has the highest share globally with 44 per cent female participation. India, however, is better off than sub-continental peers such as Bangladesh (12 per cent) and Pakistan (15 per cent). “Globally, investors are predominantly male, with the number of male users outnumbering females in every single country around the world and a global split of 76 per cent male to 24 per cent female,” said Brokerchooser. Industry players say the women have a healthy share in the new account additions we have seen over the last one year. Also, female participation in IPOS has consistently risen this year, they add.