The pandemic brings with it anxiety and doubts about the future, influencing everyone's choices. Even those of Italian savers, who - to deal with the climate of uncertainty - have increased (and by a lot) the money set aside each month as a form of precaution. Second a survey curated by the Studies and Research Department of Intesa Sanpaolo and the Einaudi Center, today the first objective of investments is the security (59,2%), followed in second place by liquid assets (36,7%). In other words, 96% of those who invest do not aim for a long-term return as their first objective.
In the 12 months ending last September, bank deposits in our country grew by 126 billion. And this despite the fact that in the same period the GDP collapsed by about 168 billion. Means that the propensity to save has almost doubled, going from 11,8 to 20% of income. Yet at the same time, nearly half of households (47%) said they were forced to dip into savings to cope with the hardships. Only in 10,2% of cases, however, was the use of deposits particularly significant. 15,3% of households saw revenues drop significantly and 3,1% even zero, while 19,4% asked for and received economic aid.
The analysis also shows that just over one Italian out of two (55%) manages to put money aside. As for instead the share of income saved, the average stands at 11,8% this year, slightly down on the all-time high of 2019 (12,6%). “The combination of the two indicators, i.e. the average percentage of income saved in the sample – continues the study – is still growing and confirms the propensity and need to save, even before the health crisis”.
The bonds, albeit declining, remain the investment product preferred by Italians: 21,6% of the sample bought or kept bonds in their portfolio in the last 5 years, against 23,5% in 2019. On the other hand, the share of those who invest a significant part of their assets (above 30%) in bonds has been in constant decline since 2015, naturally due to rates close to zero (if not even negative).
In the last year, however, the slice of Italians who have chosen the products of managed savings it grew from 15,3 to 17,35%.
Finally, the Italians confirm theirs vocation for the brick: 77,6% own a home, a percentage that even rises to over 80% among those over 33 years old. 58% of assets is represented by real estate.
