The year 2021 was a year for stocks. Again. As long as interest rates remain at a low level, it will be difficult for investors to find a profitable alternative. Markets flooded with money find receptive basins in stocks. Of course, there were always setbacks in 2021. The most impressive was undoubtedly the end of November, when things were jerky on the world's stock exchanges. The leading German index Dax lost a good 5 percent, and the horror had a new name: Omikron. If investors had learned to live with the virus since Black Monday in March 2020, the new, rapidly spreading coronavirus variant created the uncertainty that markets so shy away from.

Corona - that much is certain - will still have a significant impact on our lives in 2022. However, many stocks did well in 2021, and some setbacks over the course of the year were also the result of profit-taking. When it comes to investing in stocks, there is always the question of the right timing for buying and selling. Many a soaring flight encouraged not only to look at profits in the depot, but also to actually realize them. Weak phases on the stock exchanges then also offer attractive entry opportunities.

Completely detached from the events on the markets, the year 2021 brought good news in terms of share culture: The issue of share pensions made it into the coalition agreement of the new government.

How exactly this plan will ultimately be shaped is still completely uncertain, but the fact alone is an encouraging sign.

A necessary one: you don't have to be a statistician with a doctorate to understand that the previous pension promises are no longer good.

Those who are young today will not later be able to invoke intergenerational justice alone.

Too few employees will have to finance too many retirees.

The generation contract does not work

This calculation will not work out. That is why it is so important that the gates of the capital market are wide open. Not only the stock market but actually the entire capital market is expressly meant. Theodor Weimer, CEO of Deutsche Börse, put it this way in an interview with FAZ: “It's about participation in all asset classes - including private equity, for example. That is an asset class that is still far too elitist. ”That hits the spot. In these asset classes there are investors who are already well financed. With private equity you can currently achieve about twice as high returns as with stocks - about 15 percent. The aim must be to make this access easy for private investors as well.

In order to be able to participate, however, the Germans also have to put aside their fear of risk and their fear of the market. The market activities of young adults are encouraging. The new offers on the Neobroker trading platforms do not make share trading safe from losses, but make it easier to use. Social media play a major role in the fact that more is finally being talked about money. Also in the family and among friends. The new social acceptance promotes the share culture in Germany, which it so urgently needs.

It will help ensure that the topic of sustainability continues to pick up speed in 2021 and is so closely linked to efforts to create a better climate.

Many billions are needed to create the gigantic transformation of the economy towards climate neutrality.

Politicians cannot provide this money alone; private investors will have to provide most of the financing.

This opens up completely new investment opportunities for investors.

The decisive factor for acceptance will be how honestly it is done.

Promising the blue of the sky, but at the same time engaging in greenwashing would have fatal consequences.

The financial sector is challenged: it has the task of directing capital flows and at the same time has the courage to let customers go who don't care about sustainability.

The banks in particular cannot afford to trample on credibility again.

The financial crisis, as long as it was now, is still having an impact.

The banks want and should no longer be part of the problem, but part of the solution.

Proof of this will also have to be provided in 2022 - for the benefit of investors and their portfolios.