Households’ financial assets amount to around € trillion, two and a half times GDP, a considerable sum by comparison with the countries of mainland Europe, though still below that recorded in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Around one third of household wealth is held in cash and deposits, one third in managed assets, and one third is invested directly in shares and bonds, both public and private, and in other assets. The share of cash and deposits, which had declined to 23 per cent in 2000, has gradually increased, reflecting the fall in market rates and the uncertain economic outlook.