Schroders announced the results of its recent survey of American individual investors, which revealed that Americans view China as the world's dominant economic superpower in the next decade, when compared with the United States, India, Germany and Russia. However, only 13% of Americans currently invest in international stocks and only 19% plan to invest in international equities over the next five years.

Individual investors expect to adopt a conservative investment approach over the next five years:

- 49% of American investors plan to invest in CDs, savings accounts, or money market funds in the next 5 years.

- 35% of survey respondents said they will invest in mutual funds.

- However, when comparing demographic groups, men are 50% more likely to invest in international equities than women, indicating a higher risk tolerance among male investors.

"China's economic growth and rising purchasing power illustrates the long- term opportunities for investors looking for higher returns from companies based in or benefiting from the world's fast-growing and emerging economies," said Virginie Maisonneuve, Head of International Equities at Schroder Investment Management. "This is one of the main reasons to buy international stocks."

Maisonneuve continued, "It is important for individuals to diversify their investment portfolio to minimize risk and capitalize on medium- and long-term growth opportunities that reflect global economic growth. By ignoring emerging countries like China, investors risk missing out on future growth opportunities."

The likelihood to invest in international stocks increases with income level, as only 10% of those with an income under $25,000 say they plan to invest in international stocks, while 38% with incomes over $75,000 say they plan to do the same.