Structured retail products market in Europe (2007)

Total EUR215 billion
Source: www.StructuredRetailProducts.com
Arete Consulting Limited

The chart above deals with investments offered to the retail markets only in the leading retail markets in Europe. Also offered are similar structured investments on a more bespoke basis to high net worth individuals and institutional investors.

The US market, with its highly developed mutual fund sector and easy stock market access, does not sell packaged equity derivatives to retail investors to the same extent as is the experience in Europe. Products are typically of a one- or two-year maturity with less than half those issued being fully principal protected. Other parts of the globe, most notably Asia, have experienced similar market growth to that seen in Europe and with emerging wealth and prosperity in the most populous region on the globe, this market is expected to grow strongly in the future.

Today the use of equity derivatives to provide safe access to equity investment is truly a
global phenomenon.