Biggest motivator for investing is a ‘flexible lifestyle’

Chasing a flexible lifestyle is the number one reason for investing or trading in the stock markets according to research carried out for Financial Technology group, ayondo.

In a survey of UK equity investors, 60% claimed that the main reason for dipping their toes in the markets was the opportunity to generate a secondary source of income or to make money to allow for a more flexible working life. This chimes in with recent research which showed that 87% of the UK’s full-time workforce either have a flexible work life or would like to have so.[1]

The research also found that the motivation for investing varied between men and women. Whilst 35% of men gave the ‘excitement’ factor as their motivator to invest or trade, in comparison, only 18% of women cited the same motivation.

In fact, female investors and traders were more likely to be motivated by rational led reasons. For example, a quarter of women said they were driven by the idea that success in the stock markets feels like money for nothing, whilst only 19% of men were of the same view.

Participants in the study were also asked what they felt is the most important attribute to becoming a successful market investor or trader. The most popular answer, at 30%, was ‘having a cool head’, followed by good timing (28%) and commitment (13%).

Mita Natarajan, Chief Business Development Officer ayondo says: “We are seeing an increasing number of people look for ways in which they can supplement their income to allow for more flexible working hours and a greater amount of leisure time. One way of making this transition easier is through Social Trading. This allows retail investors to follow Top Traders’ investment moves or signal providers to earn additional income in publishing their trading strategies.”