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Stock Investing for Women
So, you’ve probably heard about the difference in pay between men and women. For example, in 2019 the median salary of men was RM2,477, which is higher than women’s median salary of RM2,370.[1]
Investing is another area where men are doing better than women. In the Malaysian stock market for example, women only make up around 31% of investors. So, if you’re a woman looking for gender equality, investing could be one way to get there – while also giving you a chance to make more money!
If you think you don’t have what it takes to invest because as a woman you’re likely to take less risk or you don’t have time to watch the stock market every hour (because you have other priorities), think again. Studies have shown that the things which make women “softer” than men are actually what make them better investors, so women often make more stable investment decisions and get more returns over the long-term.[2]
Unfortunately, the studies also say that women would rather just keep their money in savings accounts. Simply leaving your money in the bank is not a good way to grow your money, especially when interest rates are low like they are now.
So, as long as you can afford it after your monthly spending and saving, you should consider investing to get more out of your money. There are many ways to invest, like on the stock market, in unit trusts or fixed deposits. For now, let’s look at investing on the stock market.
If you're going to invest in stocks, a Central Depository System (CDS) account will be one of your starting points, because investors in the Malaysian stock market must open CDS accounts with stockbroking companies. Think of the CDS account as a bank account, but for your stocks – each time you buy or sell a stock, it’s taken in or out of your CDS account. Click here to learn more about CDS accounts.
You might also be interested to know that in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October and to support women participation in the stock market, from 19 Oct to 31 Dec 2020 Bursa Malaysia is donating RM10 to the National Cancer Society Malaysia for every CDS account opened by women investors. The aim of the campaign is to raise funds in support of the breast cancer cause among Malaysia’s underprivileged women in the bottom 40 per cent (B40) income group.
Joining in the movement are several of Bursa Malaysia’s broker partners including Hong Leong Investment Bank, JF APEX, RHB, Malacca Securities, KAF Securities and AmInvestment Bank. They will be providing a range of promotions such as discounts and free educational webinars, to encourage more women to start their investing journey. So do check out what incentives you can get as a female investor!
If you think you’re ready to step into the world of investing, read our guides to help you get started and to learn about buying and selling stocks.
[1] Department of Statistics Malaysia, Salaries & Wages Survey Report 2019
[2] https://www.sc.com/my/stories/sorry-guys-but-women-make-better-investors/, https://www.bursamalaysia.com/about_bursa/media_centre/articles/investment-a-womans-secret-weapon