The fall 2009 Market Volatility Impact Study (MVIS) continued to track Canadians' perceptions of current market conditions as well as their plans for the short and long-term including; living in volatile times, investment holdings, decision influencers, as well as redemptions and transfers.
The purposes of the study was to update results from late 2008 and spring 2009 on key questions, and explore areas more in-depth, while gaining an understanding of new topics of interest. Further, valuable insight gathered in PMG Intelligence's benchmark study taken in 1998 were also included. We compared current market conditions to those of 1998 including stock indices, housing prices, commodities prices, consumer confidence, etc.
The MVIS report provides answers to the following:
- The impacts of market declines and extreme volatility
- The role of a financial advisor in the decision making/purchase process
- During the market turmoil did investors talk to their advisor and, if so, what was said
- Perceptions compared to those in 1998 when a period of increased market volatility was also present
- Are investors moving to "safer" investments, and, if so, what kind
- Perceptions toward how long investors think market conditions will last
- How much impact investors believe market conditions had on their day-to-day lives
- What, if anything, do investors believe can be done to bring confidence back in the market
- Have investors left the market in whole or in part
- Are investors "buy and holds" or "buy and sellers"
- Did investors invest in the upcoming RSP season