December 05, 2011
--- Asked to name what they fear most about the 2012 election, the majority of adviser respondents to a Brinker Capitol poll said “Obama’s re-election.” ---
Brinker Capital, an investment management firm, released the results of its third quarter 2011 Brinker Barometer, a gauge of financial adviser confidence and sentiment regarding the economy, investing and market performance. Respondents were asked to reflect on key financial issues related to 2011, and to share their thoughts on the upcoming White House race.
"Growth and income are not clients' top priorities any longer. Instead, what advisers say is keeping their clients awake at night is portfolio volatility. They want a smoother ride, and they want it now. Based on this priority, 54% of advisers who responded to the Barometer said they plan to increase their clients' allocation to alternative investments in the coming year,” said John Coyne, president of Brinker Capital.
While advisers continue to view the country as being far from secure on its economic footing, 64% said their clients today are financially better off than they were in 2008-2009.
Asked to name what they fear most about the 2012 election, the majority of respondents (56%) said "Obama's re-election," followed by "continued gridlock in the next administration" (32%) and "a growing Tea Party influence" (7%).
Looking at the current candidate roster, Mitt Romney received the greatest support with 36%, followed by Herman Cain (22%)* and Barack Obama (16%). Eighty percent of respondents said that a candidate's religion should not be a significant factor in judging their presidential qualifications.