NEW YORK (AFX) - Is energy the new real estate?
Individuals who trade through the TD Ameritrade system seem to think so.
A survey of 1,000 randomly selected investors earlier this month by TD Ameritrade found that 51 percent said they were investing in energy, followed by health care (about 40 percent), consumer goods (about 35 percent), and financial services and telecommunications (about 30 percent each).
And the majority picked energy stocks to be top market performers over the next six months.
Asked about real estate as an investment, 64 percent described current conditions as 'a buyer's market,' suggesting it wasn't a good place to make money now. Twelve percent said it was 'a seller's market,' and 24 percent described it as 'balanced.'
About half of those surveyed said they expect a portfolio return of 6 percent to 12 percent this year; 30 percent expect even more.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.