MADRID, 2 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Investor confidence in the stock markets rose three points in the first quarter compared to the end of 2022, driven by a perception of improvement in the global economic and financial situation, as reflected by the Saver and Investor Confidence Index prepared by JP Morgan Asset management.

The firm indicates that, in the last half of 2022, the price of energy and inflation placed the confidence of Spanish investors in the stock markets at negative values, while the beginning of 2023 "has restored their confidence", encouraged by the perception of an improvement in the general economic and financial situation.

Thus, 41.5% of Spanish savers and investors believe that the stock markets will rise in the next six months, compared to 27% who think they will fall. 31.5% of those surveyed believe that they will continue at the same levels.

After the highs reached in 2021, the index began a decline reaching its lows in the summer of 2022. Since then, it has started an upward trend that has placed it in the first quarter of 2023 at 1.91, a level similar to that of the beginning of 2022, and three points more than at the end of last year, in which the index stood at -0.99.

31.7% of those surveyed trust in the good progress of the European markets and the preference for the American and Spanish markets decreases (26.5% and 21.6%, respectively), which are positioned as the second and third option .

Likewise, there is a slight recovery of confidence in the Asian market among individual investors, after their drastic loss of confidence in the last year. The emerging markets, on the other hand, do not seem to recover that confidence.

On the other hand, in the first quarter of 2023, there has been an increase in the intention to purchase fixed income products. During the last quarter, 11.7% stated that they would invest in bills, bonds and similar products in the coming months, compared to 5.7% of investors who stated the same at the end of last year.