Gen Z notches worst stock market losses

The global stock market turmoil triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has dealt a heavy blow to Gen Z’s portfolio, a new survey released yesterday revealed.

Gen Z, people aged 18-25, absorbed the sharpest reduction in returns on their equity investments during the first three months of this year, research by Interactive Investor found.

The group’s median return dipped by 5.5 percentage points during the first quarter of this year.

“Young investors nursed the heaviest losses in the first quarter, but they are sitting pretty longer-term,” Interactive Investor said.

Stock markets have whipsawed since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine due to investors responding sharply to sudden developments in the war.

Heightened geo-political risks have guided much of traders’ moves, generating greater volatility in global stock markets.

Richer investors with a portfolio worth over £1m notched a poor first quarter, with returns dropping to minus 4.2 per cent.

Those aged 65 fared the best during the highly volatile first quarter.

Investors using the Interactive Investor platform recorded an average return of minus 3.6 per cent, the firm said.

At the beginning of the quarter, Wall Street, London and European shares all tumbled on concerns about the spillover economic effects of the war.

They have since staged a comeback.

Moscow sent troops into Ukraine on 24 February.