A Study on Financial Literacy and Investment Behaviour of Young Adults

  • Unique Paper ID: 193699
  • PageNo: 874-879
  • Abstract:
  • This study examines how financial knowledge influences investment behaviour among young adults (aged 18–25) in India. A descriptive research design was employed, using a structured questionnaire administered to 107 participants selected via stratified random sampling. The questionnaire covered topics such as financial literacy, saving habits, risk tolerance, and investment preferences. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and Excel, utilizing percentages, averages, correlation, and regression analyses to explore relationships. The results indicate that most young adults possess only a basic understanding of financial concepts. While they are familiar with simple savings instruments like bank deposits, their knowledge of advanced topics such as portfolio diversification, stock investment, and long-term financial planning is limited. Consequently, respondents overwhelmingly preferred low-risk options (e.g., savings accounts, fixed deposits, gold, and real estate) and largely avoided high-risk assets like equities. The main factors deterring higher-risk investing were fear of losses, low confidence, lack of trustworthy advice, and concerns about fraud. The study found that young adults generally neglect systematic investment strategies and retirement planning, despite a positive attitude toward saving and budgeting. Hypothesis testing confirmed that overall financial literacy is below an acceptable level and that lower literacy negatively impacts investment choices. These findings suggest the need for enhanced financial education and awareness campaigns. Practical recommendations include hands-on training, risk management guidance, early savings habits, and accessible advice to build confidence. Improving financial literacy among youth is essential for their personal well-being and can contribute to broader economic stability

Copyright & License

Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

BibTeX

@article{193699,
        author = {Keerti Vijay Malabasari and Dr Gouri. Kalagond},
        title = {A Study on Financial Literacy and Investment Behaviour of Young Adults},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {10},
        pages = {874-879},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=193699},
        abstract = {This study examines how financial knowledge influences investment behaviour among young adults (aged 18–25) in India. A descriptive research design was employed, using a structured questionnaire administered to 107 participants selected via stratified random sampling. The questionnaire covered topics such as financial literacy, saving habits, risk tolerance, and investment preferences. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and Excel, utilizing percentages, averages, correlation, and regression analyses to explore relationships. The results indicate that most young adults possess only a basic understanding of financial concepts. While they are familiar with simple savings instruments like bank deposits, their knowledge of advanced topics such as portfolio diversification, stock investment, and long-term financial planning is limited. Consequently, respondents overwhelmingly preferred low-risk options (e.g., savings accounts, fixed deposits, gold, and real estate) and largely avoided high-risk assets like equities. The main factors deterring higher-risk investing were fear of losses, low confidence, lack of trustworthy advice, and concerns about fraud. The study found that young adults generally neglect systematic investment strategies and retirement planning, despite a positive attitude toward saving and budgeting. Hypothesis testing confirmed that overall financial literacy is below an acceptable level and that lower literacy negatively impacts investment choices. These findings suggest the need for enhanced financial education and awareness campaigns. Practical recommendations include hands-on training, risk management guidance, early savings habits, and accessible advice to build confidence. Improving financial literacy among youth is essential for their personal well-being and can contribute to broader economic stability},
        keywords = {Financial Literacy, Investment Behaviour, Young Adults, Financial Knowledge, Savings, Financial Education, Financial Awareness},
        month = {March},
        }

Cite This Article

Malabasari, K. V., & Kalagond, D. G. (2026). A Study on Financial Literacy and Investment Behaviour of Young Adults. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology (IJIRT), 12(10), 874–879.

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