Investors catch on to overseas opportunities

Australian investors are growing increasingly bullish on overseas investments, according to the Certitude Global Investing Intentions Index.

The index, which tracks Australian investors' intentions to invest overseas, increased 3.5 per cent from last month and 11.4 per cent over the quarter to 31 August.

As well, investment horizons have shrunk, with 36 per cent of investors intending to make an overseas investment within the next three months — a figure which has grown by 33 per cent over the last rolling quarter.

Almost three quarters (74 per cent) believe global markets are likely to rise.

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The uptick in the popularity of overseas investments comes at a time when many superannuation funds are introducing member direct options to deliver access to term deposit and share options, although many lack a global capability.

Certitude chief executive Craig Mowll said 43 per cent of investors believed they needed more international exposure — a number that had remained steady — but timeframes had shrunk.

Fifty-one per cent of investors favoured the US market and although equities were most popular, fixed income had seen a slight resurgence, Mowll said.

"We believe the intentions of these sophisticated investors can be seen as a leading indicator for where and when other Australians will move to specific markets and asset classes around the globe," he said.