High-net-worth investor confidence has surged to its highest level since the global economic crash of 2008.
That is the conclusion of researchers at independent financial advisory firm deVere Group, which carried out a survey to assess confidence levels.
It reported that 57% of those surveyed stated they were feeling bullish about the investment outlook for the next 12 months. This is an increase of 4% from the 2013 poll.
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The last time investor confidence levels were higher than this current level was back in March 2007, when 59% of deVere's high-net-worth individuals said they were feeling bullish in the annual international poll carried out to assess investors' attitudes to risk for the year ahead.
The 2014 survey also finds that 77% of the high-net-worth investors are "committed to investing more over the 12 months."
DeVere Group founder and chief executive Nigel Green said: "As this global sentiment survey concludes, there is a growing sense of optimism amongst high-net-worth investors.
"But as ever, high-net-worth individuals should take nothing for granted."
He cited various reasons for increased confidence including the Eurozone returning to growth, the U.S. economy performing strongly and the UK's potential of reaching 3% GDP growth this year.
Tom Elliot, deVere's international investment strategist, warned however that the Eurozone remains unbalanced and raised questions over the nature of the economic recovery in the USA and the UK.
He said: "Is it built too much on a real estate boom, and not by investment? If so, is the 2000-2008 period repeating itself?"
Despite these questions, he said: "Even bearing those points in mind, there's no doubt that, overall, the world looks a safer, more 'normal' place now for high-net-worth investors than it did this time last year."