Abstract:

In the second half of 2008, the world experienced financial and economic storm. Value of investments crashed and investors lost money to the extent of their exposure to financial markets. In the light of gradual global economic recovery from the effect of the financial crisis in recent times, the research comparatively studied the attitude of investors to investments before and after the financial melt-down in Nigeria. Secondary data sourced from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for the period 1961 to 2011 were analysed using statistical procedures such as correlation, multivariable regression and t-test. The study found out that there was significant change in the attitude of investors before and after the financial crisis to investments, as investors switched funds from capital market securities in favour of money market instruments which guaranteed fixed interest income. Despite the fact that the capital market is gradually recovering; investors still demonstrate low confidence in the market. It was therefore recommended that the NSE should strive to regain and retain common investors’ confidence in the primary market through improvement in their corporate performance.