Women Less Confident As Investors, Study Finds

risks, they are not as confident in their investing skills as men, a Prudential Securities study found. The national study polled 600 men and women on a wide range of questions about their investment approaches and the factors contributing to their comfort in financial decision-making.

The study found that while more women than men say they are "open to considering new investment opportunities and strategies," many women are still wary of actively managing their portfolios. Forty-one percent of the women surveyed agreed they "often delay making financial decisions because I am afraid of making a mistake." Only 29% of the men in the study felt that way. And 54% of the women, compared with only 40% of the men, said that the volatility of the stock market makes them nervous."