Cash sitting around in an overlooked ‘nest egg’ - eKathimerini.com

As the European economy desperately seeks capital to fund its growth and the investments it needs to close the competition gap with the United States, some €10 trillion sits trapped in cash and low-yield bank deposits across the eurozone. According to the European Central Bank (ECB), just 4% of households in the common currency area invest a sizable proportion of their wealth in capital markets. This creates two problems: on the one hand, households are missing out on potentially higher long-term returns. On the other, vast amounts of savings remain disconnected from businesses and investments that could boost productivity and growth. About 80% of households in the eurozone have no direct investments in stocks, bonds or mutual funds.