Investor risk appetite at highest since mid-2004

Risk appetite among investors in July was at its highest level since mid-2004, according to a survey by State Street Global Markets.

The State Street Investor Confidence Index®, which measures investor confidence by analysing the buying and selling patterns of institutional investors, rose by 3.6 points to 119.4 from a revised June level of 115.8. It shows investor confidence in Europe and the US rose strongly, while Asian investors were also more positive about the stock market. The mood in July is markedly different from last October, when the index reached its lowest-ever-recorded level of 82.1. "The index results strongly reflect increasing investor strategies designed with a view that the global recession w...