US researchers have been examining the different perspectives women bring to investing and have established that in some cases their strategies have proved highly successful.

Research by the University of California shows that men are more likely than women to be over-confident in their investments and generally tend to make smaller investment gains. The UC Davis study, Boys Will Be Boys, also showed that men tend to trade more frequently. For instance, stock held by single men is traded 67 per cent more frequently than that held by single women.

A growing number of women base their investment choices on gut feeling while others are investing in companies which support the social and economic equality of women.

The Women's Equity Mutual Fund in San Francisco invests $11.4 million (€11.1 million) in such companies. Its fund managers screen companies, using criteria such as whether they promote women to top executive positions or use female-owned companies as vendors.