In February 2021, the total trading volume on the markets of the Moscow Exchange increased by 3.9% compared to the same indicator in 2020 and reached 72.1 trillion rubles.
Such data on Tuesday, March 2, were published on the website of the trading platform.
The highest growth rates were demonstrated by the stock market.
The volume of trading increased immediately by 32.8% - to almost 2.24 trillion rubles.
Moreover, in the last month of winter, the number of private investors on the Moscow Exchange for the first time over the entire period of observations reached 10 million people.
Since the beginning of 2021, the figure has increased by 1.2 million.
Note that a sharp influx of Russians to the exchange took place back in 2020, when brokerage accounts were opened by 5 million people - more than in all previous years.
As the investment strategist of BCS World of Investments, Alexander Bakhtin, said in an interview with RT, the high interest of Russians in the stock market is largely due to the fall in the profitability of bank deposits.
According to the Central Bank, over the past year, the maximum rate on deposits in the ten largest credit institutions fell from 5.45 to 4.53% per annum.
In these conditions, citizens began to actively buy securities to save money.
“In addition, we see an increase in the financial literacy of the population and confidence in the financial industry.
Stimulating incentives for private investors and improved technological accessibility of investments also played a role.
You can open an account or exchange currency today without leaving your home through a mobile application or online account, "Bakhtin added.
AGN "Moscow"
© Andrey Nikerichev
In 2020, the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic also influenced the investment sentiment of Russians.
This point of view, in an interview with RT, was expressed by Georgy Vaschenko, head of the department of trading operations in the Russian stock market of Freedom Finance Investment Company.
“Due to the forced self-isolation, people suddenly have more free time and investment opportunities.
In addition, we saw a sharp drop in the market in February-March 2020, which many took advantage of to go public.
In the future, the market showed good dynamics, ”Vaschenko explained.
Yaroslav Kabakov, director of strategy at FINAM Investment Company, told RT that in 2020 about 35% of clients preferred to invest in shares of Russian companies, and 25% in government and corporate bonds.
At the same time, the share of buyers of foreign shares and bonds almost doubled - up to 20%.
As a reminder, bonds are promissory notes guaranteed by the government or a company.
Investors buy securities and receive a stable income from them.
In other words, bondholders lend their money to a business or government.
A more risky asset for investment is stocks.
Securities give the owner the right to receive part of the company's profits, but do not guarantee the investor a stable income.
Thus, the value and profitability of a company's shares directly depend on the efficiency of the business.
With an eye on the risks
The growing influx of citizens into the stock market opens up new opportunities for the Russian financial system and increases its stability.
This opinion was expressed in an interview with RT by the head of the bank "FC Otkrytie" Mikhail Zadornov.
“The fact is that earlier the Russian stock market was largely dependent on foreign investors, whose share reached 60-70% on the Moscow Exchange.
As a result, when foreign players, due to sanctions or other external factors, left our market, the value of Russian assets fell.
Therefore, the replacement of foreign investors with domestic ones is a boon for the country's domestic financial market, ”Zadornov said.
According to him, currently about 10% of the economically active population in Russia use investments in the stock market to increase their funds.
At the same time, in the foreseeable future, the indicator may rise above 20%, the specialist is sure.
“But you need to understand that you should only invest part of your assets in the stock market, not be afraid to lose them and not rush to make decisions.
That is, it should be a very deliberate policy, ”added the top manager.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin previously noted, buying securities remains a more risky way to store money compared to bank deposits.
In this regard, the head of state urged to protect the interests of Russians playing on the stock exchange.
“It is necessary to protect the interests of people who invest their money in the securities market, but who are not, of course, professional investors.
Care must be taken to reduce their risks.
We only lacked the second edition of the defrauded real estate investors, do you understand?
I ask you to pay the most serious attention to this, ”Putin said.
Note that on April 1, 2022, a law on the categorization of investors into qualified and unskilled should come into force in Russia.
At the same time, as early as October 1, 2021, the Central Bank may begin testing “nekval” for knowledge of risks, and before that, introduce bans on the sale of complex investment products.
This was previously stated by the head of the Central Bank Elvira Nabiullina.
Moreover, from January 1, 2021, the Bank of Russia recommended that exchanges protect ordinary investors from buying foreign securities that do not meet certain criteria of the regulator.
As follows from the message of the Central Bank, the corresponding restrictions should be introduced until March 31, 2021.
“In principle, to minimize risks, it is enough to follow simple rules.
If a person invests money, for example, in the shares of large stable companies, or in indices, then, as a rule, in the long term, he earns more than with the help of bank deposits.
But, if he tries to make money on active trading and make 50-100 transactions a day, then most often it does not end well, "Konstantin Korishchenko, head of the department of stock markets and financial engineering at RANEPA, told RT.