The Indian markets are in a buoyant mood. Hopes are high that the new government will be able to bring in big ticket economic reforms. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have already pumped in huge amounts of money into the markets. However, the market euphoria seems to have affected retail investors too. The optimism on the street is being driven by the hope of better days ahead. At such a time we would like to point out a sobering reality that may not change anytime soon. This reality has prevented investors from creating wealth.
As the chart below shows, the share of household savings in financial assets like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, bank deposits and pension and insurance funds, has fallen (as a % of total savings) since 2008. While the government has not released the data for FY14 yet, the situation is not likely to have changed much from FY13. As of today, nearly two thirds of household savings are in physical assets like Gold and Real Estate. Thus it is clear that retail investors have missed out on this market rally. It is indeed sad that when the markets were trading at reasonable valuations over the last three years, savings of Indian households did not find their way into the stock markets. Instead, a disproportionally large amount of savings went into Gold and property. Why did this happen?
Trust in financial savings has eroded
There is a two part answer to this question. Firstly, over the last five years, the Indian economy has suffered from negative real interest rates. In simple words, this means that the rate of inflation was higher than the interest rate offered by banks. Thus people had no incentive to keep their hard earned savings in bank deposits (or any other financial asset). To preserve their wealth, they moved their money into assets like Gold and property. The second part of the answer can be summarized in one word: Trust. Time and again, investors have been swindled by unscrupulous people and have lost their shirts in the stock markets. Even in the current up move in the markets, we have seen how brokers have tried to lure investors in to the markets with claims of high Sensex levels. Investors are being tempted by their so called 'advisors' to speculate in the markets with their hard earned money. Corporates, desperate to raise money, have already begun to draw up plans for expensive IPOs. We are all aware what can happen in times of euphoria. Rational thought is often sacrificed for quick profits. This can lead to huge losses as we had seen in 2008. It is such losses that scare away retail investors from markets. In a case of 'once bitten twice shy', they park their funds in so called safer investments like property and Gold.
However, the shift of household savings from financial assets to physical assets can have grave consequences for the economy as well. If savers prefer land and Gold over bank deposits and equity, then corporates will find it harder to raise money from banks and the stock markets. This has caused many corporates to delay their capex plans. In such a situation, corporates are unlikely to hire in large numbers. If the private sector does not create jobs, any economic recovery is likely to be an illusion.
The only long term solution is to bring inflation under control as soon as possible and improve regulation in financial markets. A healthy combination of positive real interest rates and better regulation will bring back the trust of retail investors. We certainly hope the new government will not disappoint investors in this regard.
As the chart below shows, the share of household savings in financial assets like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, bank deposits and pension and insurance funds, has fallen (as a % of total savings) since 2008. While the government has not released the data for FY14 yet, the situation is not likely to have changed much from FY13. As of today, nearly two thirds of household savings are in physical assets like Gold and Real Estate. Thus it is clear that retail investors have missed out on this market rally. It is indeed sad that when the markets were trading at reasonable valuations over the last three years, savings of Indian households did not find their way into the stock markets. Instead, a disproportionally large amount of savings went into Gold and property. Why did this happen?
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There is a two part answer to this question. Firstly, over the last five years, the Indian economy has suffered from negative real interest rates. In simple words, this means that the rate of inflation was higher than the interest rate offered by banks. Thus people had no incentive to keep their hard earned savings in bank deposits (or any other financial asset). To preserve their wealth, they moved their money into assets like Gold and property. The second part of the answer can be summarized in one word: Trust. Time and again, investors have been swindled by unscrupulous people and have lost their shirts in the stock markets. Even in the current up move in the markets, we have seen how brokers have tried to lure investors in to the markets with claims of high Sensex levels. Investors are being tempted by their so called 'advisors' to speculate in the markets with their hard earned money. Corporates, desperate to raise money, have already begun to draw up plans for expensive IPOs. We are all aware what can happen in times of euphoria. Rational thought is often sacrificed for quick profits. This can lead to huge losses as we had seen in 2008. It is such losses that scare away retail investors from markets. In a case of 'once bitten twice shy', they park their funds in so called safer investments like property and Gold.
However, the shift of household savings from financial assets to physical assets can have grave consequences for the economy as well. If savers prefer land and Gold over bank deposits and equity, then corporates will find it harder to raise money from banks and the stock markets. This has caused many corporates to delay their capex plans. In such a situation, corporates are unlikely to hire in large numbers. If the private sector does not create jobs, any economic recovery is likely to be an illusion.
The only long term solution is to bring inflation under control as soon as possible and improve regulation in financial markets. A healthy combination of positive real interest rates and better regulation will bring back the trust of retail investors. We certainly hope the new government will not disappoint investors in this regard.
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