Survey reveals many Malaysians do not settle their debts in full each month
PETALING JAYA: A global survey has revealed that Malaysians are among the worst credit card repayers in the Asia-Pacific region.
According to the survey, less than half of the local respondents polled online say they repay their credit card debts in full every month.
Given this, Malaysia has one of the lowest repayment rates among the developing markets that were surveyed.
About 15% repay more than the minimum requirement while 18% of Malaysians repay only the minimum amount required.
This is although two out of five Malaysians polled claimed to use credit cards for shopping, dining and entertainment.
In contrast, the highest repayment rate was in Taiwan, where 89% of respondents service their credit card bills in full followed by Japan (87%) and South Korea (85%).
Neighbours Singapore and Indonesia also fared much better with 80% and 59% respectively, while only Vietnam came off worse than Malaysia at 27%.
The Nielsen Global Survey of Investment Attitudes also showed Malaysians are generally one of the top 10 savers in the world, but 45% of the online respondents also have various loans and insurance payments.
Meanwhile, two out of five Malaysian consumers are investing their money via various channels.
“Of those investing, 67% prefer mutual fund/unit trusts, 49% prefer stocks, 27% invest in gold, silver and other precious metals, a quarter in structured investment products, 15% in foreign currencies, 10% in bonds and 8% in derivatives,” said Nielsen in a press release yesterday.
The survey also disclosed that less than 19% of respondents rely on financial planners or advisers when deciding on personal finance or wealth matters.
On the other hand, 43% of the respondents make their own choices without anyone's advice while 21% seek advice from friends, relatives and colleagues.
Just one in every 10 persons rely on investment tips from commentators, experts or spokesmen broadcast over television, radio or the Internet, and six per cent make investment decisions on impulse.
“Knowing consumers' attitudes towards wealth management while creating relevant opportunities to engage with consumers and manage their needs is still a challenging task for financial planners and investment institutions, especially when four in 10 consumers do not trust others when making financial decisions,” said Nielsen Malaysia's head of Customised Research Luca Griseri.
The Nielsen Global Survey of Investment Attitudes was conducted from Feb 10-27 this year and polled more than 28,000 online consumers in 56 countries throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, the Middle East and Africa.
According to the survey, less than half of the local respondents polled online say they repay their credit card debts in full every month.
Given this, Malaysia has one of the lowest repayment rates among the developing markets that were surveyed.
About 15% repay more than the minimum requirement while 18% of Malaysians repay only the minimum amount required.
This is although two out of five Malaysians polled claimed to use credit cards for shopping, dining and entertainment.
In contrast, the highest repayment rate was in Taiwan, where 89% of respondents service their credit card bills in full followed by Japan (87%) and South Korea (85%).
Neighbours Singapore and Indonesia also fared much better with 80% and 59% respectively, while only Vietnam came off worse than Malaysia at 27%.
The Nielsen Global Survey of Investment Attitudes also showed Malaysians are generally one of the top 10 savers in the world, but 45% of the online respondents also have various loans and insurance payments.
Meanwhile, two out of five Malaysian consumers are investing their money via various channels.
“Of those investing, 67% prefer mutual fund/unit trusts, 49% prefer stocks, 27% invest in gold, silver and other precious metals, a quarter in structured investment products, 15% in foreign currencies, 10% in bonds and 8% in derivatives,” said Nielsen in a press release yesterday.
The survey also disclosed that less than 19% of respondents rely on financial planners or advisers when deciding on personal finance or wealth matters.
On the other hand, 43% of the respondents make their own choices without anyone's advice while 21% seek advice from friends, relatives and colleagues.
Just one in every 10 persons rely on investment tips from commentators, experts or spokesmen broadcast over television, radio or the Internet, and six per cent make investment decisions on impulse.
“Knowing consumers' attitudes towards wealth management while creating relevant opportunities to engage with consumers and manage their needs is still a challenging task for financial planners and investment institutions, especially when four in 10 consumers do not trust others when making financial decisions,” said Nielsen Malaysia's head of Customised Research Luca Griseri.
The Nielsen Global Survey of Investment Attitudes was conducted from Feb 10-27 this year and polled more than 28,000 online consumers in 56 countries throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, the Middle East and Africa.
By REGINA LEE regina@thestar.com.my/Asia News Network
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