More than half of the investors surveyed admit to knowing little, if anything about trading on margin. Investors feel they will benefit from decimal prices. Two-thirds believe it will help them better understand stock prices, while 46 percent think decimal pricing will make it easier to buy and sell securities and 47 percent think narrower spreads will result. Most investors favor investing a portion of their Social Security payments in the market. Fifty-nine percent favor investing part of their Social Security contributions in the market.
Investors remain optimistic about future returns.
Forty-one percent of investors think 2001 will be a good or very good year for investments. The average age of the investors surveyed is 48 years. More are experienced investors, having spent on average 14 years as active investors. The Securities Industry Association brings together the shared interests of more than 740 securities firms to accomplish common goals. The U.S. securities industry manages the accounts of more than 50 million investors directly and tens of millions of investors indirectly through corporate, thrift, and pension plans.