The vast majority of retail investors stayed invested during the pandemic with just 2% pulling out, according to a survey by a retail investment platform.

The poll by EQi, formerly Selftrade, found that 30% of investors left their investments alone, while 28% continued to buy and sell.

Just 2% made only investment sales since the pandemic started.

EQi says its survey of 285 investors found that despite the market turmoil most investors remained “stoic” and the majority remain confident about long-term performance.

Some 37% said that they remained confident about the performance of their investments over the next six months and over the next 18 months 66% said they were confident.

Overall 61% said that the pandemic had not hit their appetite for risk.

Richard Pearson, director at EQi, said: “While the news might often seem to be full of doom and gloom, there is a sense of optimism among EQi investors that when we finally get a handle on managing the impact of Covid-19, economic performance and the companies that underpin it will recover.

"The government announcing that more retailers will be able to open come 15 June provides some much needed hope for the future but, with experts predicting further pockets of infection in the coming months, it is still worth preparing for more ups and downs ahead.”