New Report Unveils How Women are Getting Started in Investing

Canadian portfolio manager and researcher on women and money Barbara Stewart releases original research about women learning to invest

TORONTO, March 8, 2014 /CNW/ - New research has found that women learn to invest in order to gain control over their lives, and they invest in what they personally believe in.  According to a new white paper, part of the Rich Thinking series of global studies, Getting Started: advice, ideas and stories from smart women on learning to invest, by CFA® charterholder Barbara Stewart, women are very good at learning how to invest, but it is often outside traditional equity markets.

These findings, released today to coincide with International Women's Day, are the result of in-depth interviews that were conducted throughout 2013 with 50 diverse and accomplished women living around the world—from Toronto to Tel Aviv, from Singapore to Stockholm, and from Paris to Istanbul.  The study builds on Ms. Stewart's previous white papers of 2011, 2012 and 2013.

"The most important finding of this year's Rich Thinking study was that when women think about investing, they refuse to restrict that to equity markets only," says Barbara Stewart, Portfolio Manager at Cumberland Private Wealth Management Inc. "They are looking to take control and become financially independent, but they prefer to invest in what they understand and are passionate about."

"Getting more women to invest in equity markets is a sound goal for policymakers, educators, and financial institutions. But that isn't about putting pink covers on mutual fund reports: this year's white paper looks at the deeper ways in which women can be encouraged to get started investing. The alternative is not an option: doing nothing with their money is the highest risk behaviour of all." 

For a copy of the full white paper, please go to www.barbarastewart.ca.

Methodology
Throughout 2013, Barbara Stewart conducted 50 in-depth interviews with women around the world. Interviewees varied by age, cultural background and geographic location, although all were relatively successful in their lives, careers, or both.

About Barbara Stewart
Barbara Stewart is a CFA® charterholder specializing in Financial Counseling and Portfolio Management. She has extensive experience in global capital markets and has been advising high net worth individuals and families for 18 years. Barbara is a shareholder of Cumberland Partners Limited - the parent company of Cumberland Private Wealth Management Inc. in Toronto, Canada. She writes a bi-weekly column and is frequently quoted in the media on the topic of women and finance. She speaks internationally (most recently to 3,000 investors in Stockholm) and she creates educational events on the topic she is passionate about - financial literacy. To find out more about Barbara's research or her work as a portfolio manager, visit www.barbarastewart.ca.

SOURCE: Barbara Stewart

Barbara Stewart, Portfolio Manager 
Cumberland Private Wealth Management
416-413-4216 or [email protected]