Retail investors' database of some mutual funds (MFs) indicates that the numbers are highly skewed against women, notwithstanding that women have made giant strides in finance and investments, even heading some organisations.
For instance, out of 4.5 lakh retail investors as on September 30, 2013 at Axis Mutual Fund, women constituted about 15 per cent. According to National Sales Head of Axis Asset Management Company, Karan Datta, even among online investors who average about 2,000 every month, only about 20 to 25 per cent are women.
The trend is not too different at LIC Nomura Mutual Fund. The director and chief executive officer, Nilesh Sathe said, “Out of about 3 lakh active retail investors as at the end of the previous quarter, just about 20,000 were women.”
President of Karnataka Association of Mutual Fund Advisors, K V Kannan said, “Yes, it is indeed skewed in favour of men, based on my personal experience.”
The plausible argument, experts said, is that investment decision is largely a man's domain even today. “Women do not participate actively as far as investment decisions are concerned, they tend to leave it to men, though the trend is gradually changing, among working women,” CEO of personal finance firm Wiseinvest Advisors, Hemant Rustagi said.
The CEO and Founder of fundsindia.com, investment platform that predominantly retails MF schemes , C R Chandrasekar said that out of about 60,000 transactions every month, just about 5 per cent are women. “Their numbers are indeed low,” he said.
National Sales Director at Franklin Templeton Asset Management, Gaurab Parija said that they don't really track investors'profile on the basis of gender.
Information overload is cited as a discouraging factor. “All financial websites overwhelm me, they are confusing, so I leave my investment decision to my father,” young entrepreneur and consultant at image consultancy firm Revyv, Sheetal Bahirat said.
Rustagi said that the trend will definitely change in the next few years, with the presence of many working women, along with awareness about investments. “But it is not going to be an easy task,” he said.
There is an upside though, according to managing partner at wealth advisory firm RS Consultants, Srikala Bhashyam. “Unlike men, women are more receptive to investing long-term in mutual funds,she said.