2024 Global Retail Investor Outlook 2025

Personal debt is becoming an increasingly central financial worryWhat are your financial objectives? Investor respondents2024 2022 Have enough for emergency Have enough for leisure/travel Have enough to retire Have enough for large investment To pay off debt Personal fulfilment41% 51% 27% 48% 42% 31% 29% 9% 16% 14%45% 12%Implications of rising debt Higher incidence of debt on household finances can constrain disposable income due to debt servicing, reducing overall investing budget. Household debt repayment commitments can skew individuals’ preferences towards more liquid and low-risk assets. Significant leverage increases household exposure to interest rate swings and market cycles, especially for mortgages and credit card borrowing. Familiarity with debt, combined with constrained investing budgets, can incentivize the use of leverage, potentially amplifying momentum trading tendencies and the associated risks.36,37 More individuals around the world are prioritizing paying off debt Reduction in real income, coupled with easier access to lending services and consumer credit, could be key drivers behind the growing focus on debt repayment among individuals. The growth of (relative) personal debt levels has been significant among certain emerging economies – for instance, household debt in Thailand recently hit a record high at 90.8% of the country’s GDP .38 Note: This chart displays only a selection of survey options. 2024 Global Retail Investor Outlook 36