Women make great investors, so what’s holding them back‪?‬ On Point

Some women are apprehensive about investing, but there’s plenty of evidence they’re better at it than their male counterparts. There have been several studies conducted over the years, and many of these have shown that on average, women often achieve better investment returns than men. Women are more likely to follow tried and tested investing principles, while men often think they know better. Studies also show women trade a lot less, are more willing to stick to a long-term plan and are much more open to seeking advice. In contrast, men tend to overestimate their abilities, while they believe their more frequent trading will make them money (more often than not, all it does is cost them more in fees). Women are less likely to persevere with a losing position too long, and they don't tend to hold such concentrated portfolios. Women don’t have the monopoly on all these attributes, and there are plenty of sensible, level-headed male investors too. However, when considering these statistics it's surprising there aren't more women working in financial services!