https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/local/over-85-of-uae-investors-upbeat-about-economy
The confidence level among investors globally is also on the rise, with a majority of them optimistic about their regional economic outlook and the equity markets.
Investors in the UAE are increasingly becoming confident about economic perspectives in the region with 85 per cent expressing optimism for the current year, according to a new Investor Sentiment survey unveiled by a leading Swiss bank.
While opinions are split on when life will return to normal in the Middle East, a slight majority of 51 per cent think normal activity will resume before July 2021, while 49 per cent of those surveyed believe it will not happen until the second half of the year, according to UBS’s survey. The survey polled more than 4,000 investors and business owners across 14 markets globally in late December and January.
The confidence level among investors globally are also on the rise, with a majority of them optimistic about their regional economic outlook and the equity markets.
Investors in the UAE investors singled out Covid-19 (63 per cent), followed by climate change (56 per cent) and fear of a market downturn (55 per cent) as their top concerns.
Echoing the widespread concern of the uncertainty, a record nine out of 10 investors in the UAE said they needed more expert financial advice than ever. “They also see clear value in sustainable investing, with 86 per cent stating that the topic is important to them and 8 out of 10 expecting the same or even better return from sustainable investments when compared to more traditional portfolios.”
Globally, a majority of survey respondents (60 per cent) have a positive economic outlook over the next 12 months, compared with 55 per cent three months prior. Sixty-three per cent of investors don’t believe life will return to normal in the next six months. Of those respondents, only 48 per cent are optimistic about the economy. Among the 37 per cent of investors who expect life to return to normal in the next six months, economic optimism is much higher at 80 per cent, UBS said.