Women are still saving and investing less than men across the globe, according to BlackRock's Global Investor Pulse Survey.

Women are lagging behind their male peers when it comes to retirement planning, according to new research by BlackRock.

Women are notably less confident about their futures than men in Hong Kong, where 76 per cent of men surveyed were confident about planning for their retirement compared to just 65 per cent of women. BlackRock attributed this difference to Hong Kong women's limited access to investment advice and information.

The firm estimates that 14 per cent of women in Hong Kong adopt “smart” investment habits generally, and as a result feel more confident about their financial futures.

Meanwhile, a 65 per cent majority of women around the world adopt smart investment practices for retirement planning specifically, and feel financially set for retirement; this dwarfs the 38 per cent of Hong Kong women who adopt these practices for retirement planning.

“In Hong Kong, 14 per cent of women are 'smart' when it comes to managing finances and on average they amassed over HKD1 million (around $128,930) more in household assets than the average women by just following these simple steps. Becoming smart could really be achievable for many women,” BlackRock's head of Hong Kong retail business, Julia Lee, said in a statement.

The gender gap was clear on a global scale too: 81 per cent of women have started saving for their retirement, still behind the 85 per cent of men worldwide. 

As well as making retirement a priority, saving and investing more, and actively investing were among the steps making up the firm's smart women category.

BlackRock’s Investor Pulse Survey polled 27,500 people globally across 20 markets, including 1,000 in Hong Kong, on a broad selection of financial and investment management questions.