Londoners are gearing up to invest in the stock market in 2026 but the rest of the country is failing to shift away from cash savings.
According to fresh research from wealth manager Stratiphy, nearly 70 per cent of Londoners are planning on investing in the next 12 months, in a bid to secure higher returns than those available from cash savings.
This significantly outstrips the UK average, with just four in ten people planning to invest in the stock market during the next year.
Increasing plans to invest come as more people in the capital shift money in the stock market, with 49 per cent doing so this year, compared to a country average of 32 per cent.
Londoners are also investing a more than Brits from other regions, with the average amount in the capital averaging £21,000, which was considerably higher than its closest competitor, the North West which averaged £14,000.
Daniel Gold, chief executive and founder of Stratiphy, said: “Londoners have a huge appetite to invest and make their finances work smarter by beating low-performing cash savings.
“Investors across the country should be looking for similar opportunities to maximise their finances.”
Domestic investors and portfolio tools
The research comes as the Treasury works to beef up the share of savings people invest in British firms, in a bid to revitalise the UK economy.
This includes the rollout of a ‘targeted support’ scheme, set to be in action before the 2026 ISA season, which is aimed at providing increased financial advice and raising awareness of the benefits of investing.
Rumours surrounding a cut to the £20,000 cash ISA ceiling and the removal of the 0.5 per cent tax charge on the buying of shares in newly listed companies are also continuing to grow.
While these potential changes have largely been welcomed by industry figures, retail investors are also calling for more sophisticated investment tools, allowing them greater control of their portfolios.
Over 80 per cent of investors in London wished to have more influence over their investments, including being able to choose strategies that align with their own goals and risk appetite.
Meanwhile, nearly half do not think the current investment options available to them offer the level of personalisation needed to give them full capacity to control their portfolios.
Gold said: “Investors increasingly want to be able to personalise their portfolios…in order to achieve this they need accessible investing tools.”