Stocks the safest haven for 40% to invest

ALMOST two in five people in the UK have investments – with stocks and shares the most popular, research reveals.

And approximately 47 per cent expect a good return on their portfolio, an increase of 15 per cent compared to last year, according to HSBC.

With the end of the tax year just days away, more than 7,000 of the bank’s customers have already paid in the maximum £20,000 allowance into their stocks and shares Isa.

More than half of them said they feel investing rather than saving is the best way to make the most of their money in the current economic climate. Property, funds and bonds are also popular, with around one in five choosing to pay their money into them.

Meanwhile, 18 per cent look to cryptocurrency, while 12 per cent invest in jewellery.

There are also geographical trends in alternative investments with Edinburgh the most popular place for whisky, at 20 per cent, while stamps attract the most investors in Liverpool, at 11 per cent, while Southampton is a hotspot for investing in trainers at 9 per cent.

Anyone with a personal or workplace pension will also be an investor, as their money will likely be held largely in a combination of shares and bonds.

Social media is where a third get their information about investing, compared to just one in five who get it from their bank.

Rebecca Owers, director of wealth distribution at HSBC UK, said: ‘Spring is a great time to review your finances and it’s important to consider options like investing, alongside Isas and savings accounts.’