UOB survey: Malaysia’s emerging affluent seek tailored advice to manage wealth

According to the 2016 United Overseas Bank (UOB) Study on Attitudes and Behaviours of Emerging Affluent survey[1], Malaysia’s emerging affluent are relying on advisers that can help them to understand today’s challenging and volatile market environment when making financial decisions. 

The survey found that financial experts were the top source of trusted financial advice with 64 per cent of Malaysian investors saying they expected their bank to provide them with relevant and customised advice based on their investment appetite. This was followed closely by their family members (62 per cent) and friends (53 per cent).

Mr Ronnie Lim, Country Head of Personal Financial Services, United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Bhd (UOB Malaysia) said that the survey shows while there is a lot information available to the public, investors will listen to people who can help analyse the information and then advise them on how to respond based on their personal investment needs.

“The sheer volume of information available to investors can make it difficult for them to focus on the long-term, big-picture outcomes they are seeking. The day-to-day “noise” coupled with the challenges of heightened market volatility, currency fluctuations and low interest rates, can make it difficult for investors to make sense of all the details and the effects on their investments.  Our survey of investors has shown that they place a high value on expert advice from advisers who can interpret all of this information and use it to ensure their financial objectives are met,” Mr Lim said.

As part of providing UOB Malaysia’s customers with such investment advice, the Bank has launched the Portfolio Optimiser. This is a solution that helps customers determine their risk appetite and then sets the optimal asset allocation across their investment portfolios. UOB Malaysia’s relationship managers use an automated portfolio rebalancing solution to ensure investors maintain their target asset and geographical allocation mix.

“Sources of return depend on the type of asset classes in which a person invests. In a volatile market, asset classes can become highly correlated to each other resulting in diminished returns and greater risk for investors. If left unadjusted, an investor can be exposed to the increased risks inherent in an unbalanced portfolio. The Portfolio Optimiser determines when a customer’s asset mix drifts from its original stated objective and then makes adjustments to the overall portfolio to ensure their original level of risk tolerance and financial objectives continue to be met,” Mr Lim said.

The Portfolio Optimiser can be applied across all investment portfolios with an active asset allocation strategy. For more information about the Portfolio Optimiser, investors can approach UOB Malaysia’s relationship managers across its 45 branches nationwide.

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About United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Bhd

United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Bhd (UOB Malaysia) is a subsidiary of Singapore-based United Overseas Bank Limited and has had a presence in Malaysia since 1951.  UOB Malaysia offers an extensive range of commercial and personal financial services through its branches, subsidiaries and associate companies: commercial lending, investment banking, treasury services, trade services, cash management, home loans, credit cards, wealth management, and bancassurance products.

In line with the UOB Group’s regional corporate social responsibility initiatives focusing on children, education and the arts, UOB Malaysia has organised the annual UOB Heartbeat Run since 2008 to raise funds for charity. In 2011, UOB Malaysia established the inaugural Painting of the Year Competition and Exhibition.

For further information, please visit www.uob.com.my.

[1] Conducted by UOB Group in May 2016, Attitudes and Behaviours of Emerging Affluent is a study on the investment behaviour among affluent investors in Asia. More than 500 respondents from Malaysia with investable assets of at least RM500,000 participated in the survey.