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Financial Literacy and Portfolio Diversification

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Abstract

In this paper we focus on poor financial literacy as one potential factor explaining lack of portfolio diversification. We use the 2007 Unicredit Customers’ Survey, which has indicators of portfolio choice, financial literacy and many demographic characteristics of investors. We first propose test-based indicators of financial literacy and document the extent of portfolio under-diversification. We find that measures of financial literacy are strongly correlated with the degree of portfolio diversification. We also compare the test-based degree of financial literacy with investors’ self-assessment of their financial knowledge, and find only a weak relation between the two measures, an issue that has gained importance after the EU Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MIFID) has required financial institutions to rate investors’ financial sophistication through questionnaires.

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Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy in its series CSEF Working Papers with number 212.

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Date of creation: 07 Jan 2009
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Handle: RePEc:sef:csefwp:212

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Keywords: Financial literacy; Portfolio diversification;

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Cited by:
  1. Renneboog, L.D.R. & Spaenjers, C., 2009. "Where Angels Fear to Trade: The Role of Religion in Household Finance," Discussion Paper 2009-018, Tilburg University, Tilburg Law and Economic Center.
  2. Luigi Guiso, 2010. "A trust-driven financial crisis. Implications for the future of financial markets," Economics Working Papers ECO2010/07, European University Institute.
  3. Arie Kapteyn & Federica Teppa, 2009. "Subjective Measures of Risk Aversion, Fixed Costs, and Portfolio Choice," DNB Working Papers 216, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department.
  4. Giancarlo Corsetti & Michael P. Devereux & Luigi Guiso & John Hassler & Gilles Saint-Paul & Hans-Werner Sinn & Jan-Egbert Sturm & Xavier Vives, 2010. "Chapter 2: A trust-driven financial crisis," EEAG Report on the European Economy, CESifo Group Munich, vol. 0, pages 53-70, 02.
  5. Elsa Fornero & Chiara Monticone & Serena Trucchi, 2011. "The effect of financial literacy on mortgage choices," CeRP Working Papers 121, Center for Research on Pensions and Welfare Policies, Turin (Italy).
  6. M. A. Milioli & L. Poletti & B. Ronchini, 2011. "L’educazione finanziaria degli studenti universitari: misurazione e analisi delle determinanti," Economics Department Working Papers 2011-EF01, Department of Economics, Parma University (Italy).
  7. Tabea Bucher-Koenen & Michael Ziegelmeyer, 2011. "Who lost the most? Financial literacy, cognitive abilities, and the financial crisis," Working Paper Series 1299, European Central Bank.

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