A comparative study of investment services offered by Maltese banks

Abstract

Investment is a means for those people who have extra money and want to generate additional returns for increased future utility. There are various types of investments such as stocks, bonds, derivatives, commodities, mutual funds and the foreign exchange. This dissertation focuses on current investment trends and on the international financial scenario. Various financial markets, investment trends and other factors have been analysed. The main objective was to analyse what the current demands of retail investors are and to see whether these demands are satisfied by the sampled local banks through analysing the range of products and services which they offer. A survey was also carried out through the use of a questionnaire. These questionnaires were distributed to retail investors to find out the investment objectives of Maltese bank customers. Interviews were carried out with various industry professionals, including financial advisors, investment services officers, and financial planning managers representing banks.