Three in five people in Britain don’t have investments, says HSBC

More than three in five people in Britain have no investments, according to new research from HSBC.

It says only 38 percent of adults invest some of their money, with shares being the most popular way to do this.

And about 47 percent of those expect a good return on their portfolio, up 15 percent from 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 the maximum amount of £20,000 into their stocks and shares Isa.

More than half of them say they think investing rather than saving is the best way to get the most out of their money in the current economic climate.

In addition to shares, real estate, funds and bonds are also popular, with around one in five choosing to invest their money there.

Meanwhile, 18 percent are looking at cryptocurrency, while 12 percent are investing in jewelry.

There are also geographical trends in alternative investments, with Edinburgh the most popular place for whiskey at 20 percent, while stamps in Liverpool attract the most investors at 11 percent.

Southampton is a hotspot for investment in trainers with 9 percent.

Anyone with a personal or corporate pension will also be an investor as their money is likely to be held largely in a mix of shares and bonds, although investments through a pension have not been included for the purpose of this research.

A third get their information about investing through social media, compared to just one in five who get this information from their bank.

Rebecca Owers, wealth distribution director at HSBC UK, said: ‘Spring is a good time to take a closer look at your finances and it’s important to consider options such as investing, alongside Isas and savings accounts.’