Investment behaviour in the Czech Republic

The latest IBRS Savings Barometer survey, commissioned by the financial company Golden Gate, shows that the vast majority of Czech citizens still prefer to invest in real estate.

80% of respondents consider buying a house or apartment to be the best investment option, up from 78% in the previous quarter. This preference reflects an established trend towards investments perceived as safe and stable, especially in times of economic uncertainty. Just behind real estate, 72% of Czechs consider owning land to be an equally good choice, confirming the population’s confidence in tangible, long-term investments.

Despite low interest rates, savings accounts remain the third most popular option, with 54% of respondents choosing them to manage their savings, although this is down 8 percentage points from the previous quarter. However, it is clear that while savings accounts are considered safe, they do not offer high returns and cannot be considered a true form of long-term investment. The growing awareness of the importance of preserving the value of one’s savings has also led many Czechs to take an interest in precious metals such as gold. According to the survey, 49% of the population find this form of investment attractive. Pavel Řihák, a representative of Golden Gate, pointed out that the price of gold rose by 28% last year, reaching an all-time high of more than $2,600 per ounce (about 60,175 CKZ). This confirms that gold is still perceived as a safe haven, capable of preserving purchasing power even in times of crisis.

Another important finding is the growing interest in investing in stocks and bonds. Over the past five years, 36% of Czechs have begun to find these financial options attractive, an increase of 11% over previous years. This shift reflects a gradual openness to more complex and potentially more profitable financial instruments, although they carry more risk than traditional investments. At the same time, the popularity of housing savings accounts has fallen dramatically, from 56% to 28%.

An equally notable shift concerns attitudes toward cryptocurrencies. While they were seen as a promising investment opportunity a few years ago, the survey found that only 17% of respondents still consider them an attractive option.

In parallel with these trends, the Index of Financial Wellbeing and Health of the Czech Population, compiled by Česká spořitelna in cooperation with the Institute of Sociology of the Academy of Sciences and the Europe in Data portal, confirmed that 41% of Czechs are actively investing, usually in amounts of less than 100,000 crowns. This figure shows that despite the interest in investing, many people prefer to manage their finances prudently and limit their exposure to significant risks. Conservative saving continues to dominate, with 73% of people still preferring savings accounts.

The survey also revealed some significant socio-economic differences. Investors tend to be middle-aged men with higher incomes and higher levels of education. Among those with a primary education, only 40% seek to increase the value of their funds, while among those with a university education, this figure doubles. Kamila Fialová of the Institute of Sociology pointed out that higher levels of education often correlate with greater financial literacy and a better ability to navigate the complex world of investing.

The differences are not only related to education or income, but also to gender. Among men, 70% of those who value their savings invest directly, compared with 54% of women. However, women tend to pay more attention to the social responsibility of the companies in which they invest, an aspect less considered by men.

According to Monika Hrubá of Česká spořitelna, the typical Czech investor is a male between the ages of 40 and 49 with a high income. The amount invested also varies: one third of respondents invested less than CZK 100,000, one fifth invested between CZK 100,000 and CZK 300,000 and 12.5 percent invested between CZK 300,000 and CZK 500,000.

Sources: https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/most-czechs-see-real-estate-as-the-best-investment-option ; https://www.goldengate.cz/aktuality/barometr-obliby-sporeni-a-investovani-v-cr-za-q3-2023 ; https://www.idnes.cz/ekonomika/domaci/index-prosperity-ceska-sporitelna-investice-sporeni.A241016_094939_ekonomika_alis

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