NO LONGER do risk-averse investors stuff their money under the mattress.
These days they store their wealth in high-tech, ultra-secure vaults where they can access it at any time.
In a little over a year, the value of the Australian sharemarket has more than halved. Investors are worried — and some have turned to gold, silver and other precious metals as a haven.
Brett Le Brocque, a Melbourne man who runs two Le Brocque Golf Academies, is one investor who has exited the equity market and put his money into tangible assets.
"I bought a heap of gold and silver because I wanted to get (my money) out of the bank," he said.
Mr Le Brocque has a financial planner who sometimes recommends specific equities, but for the moment he is more comfortable knowing his wealth is invested in property and precious metals.
"I think they're a chance for a big upside," he said.
