OREANDA-NEWS. January 21, 2016. A report released today by BMO Bank of Montreal found that half of Canadians (53 per cent) feel market volatility will remain the same or worsen in 2016. However, almost the same percentage (48 per cent) still expect the value of their portfolio to increase.

The report, conducted by Pollara, also revealed that Canadians remain cautious about their investments, with 44 per cent looking for safe solutions and over half (54 per cent) feeling influenced by a volatile market.

"It is prudent for investors to take a cautious approach with their investment portfolios in 2016 given the current state of the market," noted Paul Taylor, Senior Vice-President & Chief Investment Officer Asset Allocation, BMO Global Asset Management (Canada). "While investors may feel the need to adjust their investment strategy given volatile markets, a more sound approach is to establish a long-term strategy that is consistent with personal objectives and constraints and is constructed to weather capital markets volatility."

Mr. Taylor added that investors can expect good but not robust opportunities in equities in 2016 based on moderate global economic growth, supportive monetary and fiscal policy, and reasonable equity valuations.

To that point, the report revealed that while only one per cent of Canadian investors are taking more risks with their money, investment amounts are not necessarily affected:

  • A combined 17 per cent of Canadians are investing more or looking for new investment opportunities
  • Half of Canadians are interested in safer investments, or are exercising extra caution and checking their portfolios more often (50 per cent)

"We see that Canadians are still looking to invest despite market changes, but many are unsure how to manage their portfolio better," said Ryan ffrench, Director, Term Investments, BMO Bank of Montreal. "Considering safer investment vehicles, such as Guaranteed Investment Certificates, can offer a secure and predictable return."

Canadians' Investment Behaviours - Regional Breakdown

Atlantic Quebec Ontario Prairies Alberta BC
Investing more than usual 5 % 7 % 4 % 13 % 3 % 5 %
Investing less than usual 7 % 9 % 14 % 20 % 15 % 16 %
Investing in safer investments 20 % 35 % 24 % 34 % 41 % 20 %
Investing in different types of investments 6 % 5 % 14 % 26 % 8 % 24 %
Cashed in some investments 3 % 3 % 9 % 11 % 14 % 15 %
Seeking opportunities to invest more 13 % 14 % 15 % 18 % 7 % 12 %

However, mutual funds still most popular investment type among Canadians

  • Almost nine-in-ten Canadians have some amount of savings or investments (89 per cent)
  • Mutual funds are the most popular investment being used by more than half of Canadians (52 per cent), followed by stocks and GICs (39 per cent and 37 per cent respectively)

Over half of Canadians seek professional financial advice

  • Two thirds of Canadian investors turn to professionals at least once a year, with 26 per cent of that same group doing so on at least a quarterly basis

"Regular conversations with an advisor can help an investor maintain a sense of confidence and ensure they have realistic expectations about how their investments will perform, particularly in more volatile conditions," noted Mr. ffrench. "BMO is here to help by bringing clarity to investors and provide them with the knowledge and advice they need to make responsible investment decisions."

The BMO Investment Sentiment Survey was conducted by Pollara between December 18th and 21st, 2015 with an online sample of 1,000 adult Canadians. Data has been weighted using the latest census data to be representative of the Canadian population in terms of age, gender and region. The margin of error for a probability sample size of 1,000 is ± 3.1%, 19 times out of 20.

About BMO Financial Group

Established in 1817, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America. With total assets of approximately \\$642 billion as of October 31, 2015, and close to 47,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.