Kurt Mayell

In an era of unprecedented access to market information, investor success is increasingly determined not by what investors know, but by how they behave, according to a new report from CMC Markets Australia.

Inside the Mind of the Trader: Understanding Trading Psychology explores the behavioural forces that shape trading and investing decisions, revealing how emotions, biases and decision-making habits continue to influence both individual performance and broader market trends.

Despite the perception, investor returns are driven by more than earnings results, economic data and interest rate expectations. Investor behaviour remains a powerful force in determining how markets respond to information and uncertainty.

“Markets don’t just move on fundamentals, they move on how people interpret and react to those fundamentals,” said Kurt Mayell, Head of Markets for CMC Markets ANZ.

“Access to information has never been greater, but that doesn’t necessarily lead to better decisions. Understanding investor behaviour is becoming just as important to understand the market itself.”

The report highlights several common behavioural biases that can influence investor decisionmaking, including loss aversion, overconfidence, herd mentality, recency bias, and fear of missing out (FOMO).

While these biases are well documented, they continue to affect investors across all market conditions. The report argues that many investment mistakes stem not from a lack of information, but from the way people process information under pressure.

“The challenge for traders isn’t a lack of information, it’s how they process it,” said Mr Mayell. “In fast-moving markets, decisions are rarely purely rational. Emotion, recent experiences, and market sentiment all influence how people assess risk and opportunity.”

The findings come as investors face increasingly complex and information-rich market environments. Research cited in the report shows that emotional decision-making can have a measurable impact on long-term investment outcomes, with studies finding the average investor has historically underperformed broader market returns due to poor timing and behavioural biases.

According to Mr Mayell, these behavioural influences can also help explain market activity that appears disconnected from traditional valuation measures.

“Markets may evolve, but the behavioural patterns that drive trading decisions remain remarkably consistent,” he said. “Visibility, familiarity, and recent price movement can often attract investor attention, even when those factors have little to do with underlying value.”

The report concludes that behavioural discipline is becoming an increasingly important advantage for investors. As information becomes more widely accessible, the ability to manage information, stick to a process, and make consistent decisions under pressure, prove a greater differentiator than access to market insights alone.

“The real edge isn’t simply having more information,” Mr Mayell said. “It’s having the discipline to stick to a strategy when markets become uncertain. How investors behave under pressure often matters more than the opportunities they identify.”

How to build better trading habits

Three key takeaways:

1. Have a clear plan before entering a trade. Establish clear objectives, risk parameters, and exit strategies before entering a position.
2. Pause before acting on significant market moves. Be aware of common behavioural tendencies such as loss aversion, herd mentality, overconfidence, and FOMO, particularly during periods of market volatility.
3. Maintain discipline. In markets where information is widely accessible, the ability to manage emotions and stick to a process becomes a defining advantage.

Read the report.

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Despite feeling prepared for retirement there are lingering concerns for retirees.

Leading research firm Investment Trends has launched its 2021 Retirement Income Report, an in-depth study of Australians’ attitudes towards retirement and post-retirement issues.

The latest Investment Trends Report highlights a surging proportion of pre-retirees feel very well prepared for retirement (16%, up from 10% in 2020). Another 45% are feeling ‘somewhat prepared’ (up from 36%) and the proportion of pre-retirees concerned about having enough money for extras while in retirement has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Despite feeling prepared for retirement there are obvious lingering concerns for retirees. Whilst illness is still top of mind (56% cite this), on the rise are worries about regulatory changes around superannuation, rising twofold in the past year (41%, up from 19% last year). “We are seeing the prospect of regulatory changes impacting peace of mind for many Australians either heading towards or in retirement.” said Kurt Mayell, Associate Research Director at Investment Trends.

Pre-retirees believe they will need on average $4,500 per month for a comfortable retirement while they expect to receive $4,100 (a 10% gap, down from 37% last year). This gap between anticipated and ideal retirement income has significantly narrowed, demonstrating that retirees are feeling more comfortable with their levels of retirement savings.

“For the first time in five years, one in two retirees expects their retirement savings will outlast their years in retirement. As of September 2021, pre-retirees expect their savings to last on average 22 years, seven years longer than only a year ago.” said Mayell.

“With an improved retirement outlook more Australians say they would eventually like to leave the balance of their super to their heirs, welcoming increased estate planning advice and content.”

The proportion of Australians aged over 40 who say they have enquired about estate planning spiked over the past 12 months (50% up from 31% in 2020). Those who do not yet have an estate plan would welcome information about a range of topics, particularly superannuation death benefits and tax implications (54%), and wealth preservation (52%).

The family home is the main asset people intend to pass on as inheritance (80% cite), followed by non-super investments (62%) and super (53%).

Whilst Australians overall sentiment toward retirement is looking positive, when the time comes to access the right retirement solution for them, many are largely unaware of the retirement income products offered by their main super fund or are unconvinced those on offer are fit-for-purpose. “There are enormous opportunities for super funds to provide clarity about the pension products and strategies they offer, suggesting the developing Retirement Income Covenant seems to be taking shape at just the right time.” said Mayell.

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• The pandemic has prompted many Australians to consider seeking advice earlier than planned.
• An estimated 12.6m Australian adults have unmet advice needs.
• Two in five Australian adults say advice is out of affordable reach, and more are reaching out to their super fund for guidance.

Leading research firm Investment Trends has launched its 2021 Financial Advice Report, an in-depth study of Australians’ attitudes towards financial advisers, their changing advice needs, and how financial institutions can support clients across the wealth spectrum.

The latest Report highlights the increasing number of Australians who say they have unmet advice needs (61% cite this), while an estimated 3.2 million individuals are now open to using a financial adviser within the next 2 years.

Over the past decade, the number of Australians relying on professional financial advice has fallen significantly. Presently, an estimated 1.8m use financial advice but this figure has declined at a rate of 100,000 per year since 2020. Perceived high costs and lack of investible funds remain the main barriers to seeking financial advice among those who have unmet advice needs.

“The pandemic has prompted many to consider their financial situation and many Australians are now looking to expedite their decision to seek or consider advice options. Over the next 2 years, there is likely to be significant demand for advice in areas such as tax reduction strategies, capital preservation, and ESG investing,” said Kurt Mayell, Associate Research Director at Investment Trends.

Positively, the last year has seen an increase in the proportion of advised clients who believe their financial position has improved due to the efforts of their financial adviser, with the average portfolio of advised clients growing by $140,000.

This outcome has led to increased client satisfaction for their financial adviser and super fund representative across all 18 key service elements measured. Still, advisers are increasingly required to play the role of educator and financial coach across a growing range of financial products.

“Loyalty has also increased among advised clients, with 75% of advised clients intending to continue their existing adviser relationship, up from 62% in 2020. Honesty and integrity are key considerations that new advised clients look for when selecting an adviser by a significant margin, followed by independence,” explained Mayell.

When it comes to super, Australians with unmet advice needs increasingly say they would turn to their super fund for advice, with roughly 1.5 million members approaching their super fund representative for advice over the last 12 months alone.

Advice relating to additional super contributions and changing investment options were the most common inquiries. The top barriers holding back members from seeking advice from their fund are unclear costs and a lack of awareness about what advice topics that members have access.

About the report

The Investment Trends 2021 Financial Advice Report provides a detailed analysis of the Australian financial advice market, examining attitudes towards financial advisers, current and future intended use of advisers, advice needs, and how financial institutions can support customers across the wealth spectrum.

Based on a survey of 4,001 Australian adults in September 2021, the Report is the largest and most comprehensive independent study of the Australian financial advice market.

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