News Releases

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 8, 2012) - According to a BMO Bank of Montreal study released today, continued market uncertainty has Canadian investors searching for safe havens this Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) season.

The study, conducted by Leger Marketing, found that:

• The majority (55 per cent) say that they are worried about more market turmoil in 2012
• Seven in ten (70 per cent) believe that it is important to have fixed income investments as part of their portfolio to protect against market volatility
• On average, a third (32 per cent) of Canadians' investment portfolios are comprised of GICs, while another fifth (22 per cent) are comprised of bonds

"The instability in the markets over the last year has investors seeking options that are stable and can see them through periods of uncertainty," said Domenic Gallippi, Head of Term Investment Products, BMO Bank of Montreal. "One of the most effective ways of insulating financial portfolios against market volatility is by incorporating fixed income investments, such as bonds or Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs)."

The report also revealed that current conditions have more than half (56 per cent) of investors feeling unsure of where to invest their savings in the next year. Mr. Gallippi added that investors can consider incorporating growth-bearing fixed income investments as they look to shore up their RRSP investments before the February 29^th deadline.

"There are many safe investment options out there, such as GICs or market-linked GICs, that investors can leverage to shelter and grow their savings while protecting their principal," noted Mr. Gallippi.

BMO is encouraging Canadians to get their RRSP contributions completed as early as possible by offering a special market-leading rate of 2 per cent on one-year GICs for new contributions made to a RRSP before February 13^th.

For more tips and advice on investing, please visit www.bmo.com/smartinvesting.

The survey was completed on-line from January 30th 2012 to February 2nd, 2012 using Leger Marketing's online panel, LegerWeb, with a sample of 1501 Canadians. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of ± 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.