Placement: the French miss the mark because of their lack of financial culture

Free tribune

Traditionally at risk showers, the French favor safety in search of performance for their investments. A symptomatic reflex of shortcomings in terms of finance, and which calls for a mobilization of sector protagonists to abolish received ideas and redefine their relationship to investment, according to Catherine Baudeneau, member of the Altaprofits management committee.

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Increase in customs duties, trade war, market fluctuations … rarely the news has not been so dominated by economic and financial subjects. An observation all the more significant as it aims to be overwhelming in France where knowledge in the matter has long suffered from a deficit. A gap that explains in particular among the French a strong risk aversion and a mistrust with regard to the scholarshiptraditionally associated with speculation. Thus, according to the AMF 2024*barometer, 43% of French people refuse any risk for their savings. And for good reason, according to the same survey, they are seven out of ten to agree that investments in shares are reserved for people who know enough. So that a third party only plans to invest within 12 months coming to listed companies for make their assets grow. At the same time, another January 2025 ** survey highlights “A lack of information and training to carry out relevant financial and real estate investments” felt by 73% of those questioned. Under these conditions, it is not surprising to see them favor savings solutions perceived as “safe” but less efficient (savings booklets or 100% investment euros, etc.).

Individual and collective issues

But it should be recalled that investment is not only a tool for creating individual wealth. It also has a collective dimension establishing itself as an essential solution to meet the major challenges that French society is confronted. Emmanuel Macron’s recent call to mobilize thesavings to participate in the defense effort perfectly illustrates the subject. Beyond that, the investment turns out to be a Essential lever to finance our economic model. Starting with that of the pension system by distribution today unbalanced by the conjunction of the aging of the population and the demographic decline. That of the ecological transition, then also commands important capital to achieve the objective of carbon neutrality by 2050. In this extension, SMEs, real innovation engines, should also be able to lift more easily and more funds to finance their development. Especially since, representing 60% of private jobs in France, they are an essential mesh of the hexagonal economic and social fabric. In addition, this would strengthen our shareholder sovereignty while only 34% of the capital of SBF 120 companies are now held by French investors.

Promote a didactic approach

Going over the simple individual objective of optimizing capital, the investment contributes to the financing of the real economy and meets the major economic and social issues of our country. Aware of these challenges, the public authorities do not lack initiatives in matters of incentive and tax systems to try to drop the savings of the French towards investments dedicated to these themes. Moreover, beyond the already marked paths, there is a very wide range of solutions confirming that the investment is not a pre -square reserved only for initiates. There Piloted management Or the structured funds are, among others, relevant tracks to supervise the risk. To open them to a wider audience, it is necessary to promote a clearer and more didactic approach. A responsibility that returns to finance professionals in order to finish, at the same time, with the received ideas on the subject. Even if it means repeating again and again that, beyond the episodic turbulence like those that shake the financial centers today, the markets prove to be bull in the long term, inexorably carried by the growth and innovation of our time.

The protagonists of the sector therefore have a key role to play in the boom and the dissemination of financial culture in France. Provide transparent, reliable and quality information participates in this responsibility. Especially at a time when influencers – not to say, sometimes, sorcerer’s apprentices – tend, online, to fill the void left until then by professionals. Popularizing concepts and making material more attractive is also today imperative to help the French In their apprehension of risk and thus redefine their report to investment. An ambition all the greater since, at just over 6,000 billion euros (March 2025), the savings of the French could become a real weapon of massive and collective prosperity.

* AMF barometer of savings and investment – 2024. Survey carried out with 2,044 people (September 23 – October 4, 2024)

** Bricks.co survey carried out in January 2025 with 3,612 people spread over the entire French territory aged 18 and over