One in five stock market investors never check share performance

More than one in five (22 per cent) of UK stock market investors fail to ever check the performance of their shares with a staggering 65 per cent failing to gain any professional advice before investing their savings.

The findings, from new research conducted for Prudential, found that more than one in three (36 per cent) of UK adults aged 18+, equivalent to 17.23 million people1, have invested in the stock market over the past 10 years. However, more than half (53 per cent) of these investors admit they only check share performance every six months or less frequently, with one in five (20 per cent) saying they only review their stock performance once a year and 22 per cent admitting they never do.

And when it comes to gaining advice on where best to invest their savings, UK adults appear to be equally apathetic with around two thirds of investors (65 per cent) saying they rely on Internet searches or media reports when selecting which shares or funds to buy with just 16 per cent seeing an independent financial adviser, four per cent consulting a stockbroker and 10 per cent gained advice from bank or building society staff.

However, while many stock market investors fail to adequately monitor share performance or gain financial advice, they are at least exposing themselves to an asset class which has historically shown some of the strongest growth. This sits in stark contrast to the rest of the population with around 30 million UK adults (64 per cent) having made no stock market-based investments in the past ten years.

Trevor Cheal, Retirement Savings Business Director, Prudential said: "While not everyone is fortunate enough to have spare funds to save or invest, many people do and it is staggering how few are seeking financial advice or looking to capitalise on the growth potential that the stock market has historically offered.

"Those who invest in the stock market have taken the first important step towards benefiting from the long-term growth of the economy, but they stand a greater chance of maximising its value if they re-evaluate their investment arrangements regularly. However, in volatile markets, investors may not want all their eggs in one basket and multi-asset funds which provide diversification can give them some degree of comfort while still having exposure to the stock market. Those who feel they lack the knowledge to manage a diversified portfolio should consider getting professional financial advice from a stockbroker or an IFA."