How you can profit from the power of the grey pound

Higher life expectancy and surging asset prices have proved a boon for the baby-boomer generation, which has accumulated vast wealth. Younger generations can benefit too, says Matthew Partridge.

Chinese pensioners doing tai chi
As people live longer and become wealthier they will have more time and money to enjoy their retirement
(Image credit: © Tim Graham/Getty Images)

“Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?” asked The Beatles in their 1967 song. Today vast numbers of over-65s are being needed and fed. They comprise the biggest and one of the wealthiest demographic groups in the developed world.

This creates a challenge for governments, especially when it comes to grappling with their increasing demands on health and social care. However, it also represents an opportunity for industries that can find a way to take advantage of the increasing economic power of the “silver” pound, dollar or yen. Here’s how to profit.

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Dr Matthew Partridge
Shares editor, MoneyWeek

Matthew graduated from the University of Durham in 2004; he then gained an MSc, followed by a PhD at the London School of Economics.

He has previously written for a wide range of publications, including the Guardian and the Economist, and also helped to run a newsletter on terrorism. He has spent time at Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and the consultancy Lombard Street Research.

Matthew is the author of Superinvestors: Lessons from the greatest investors in history, published by Harriman House, which has been translated into several languages. His second book, Investing Explained: The Accessible Guide to Building an Investment Portfolio, is published by Kogan Page.

As senior writer, he writes the shares and politics & economics pages, as well as weekly Blowing It and Great Frauds in History columns He also writes a fortnightly reviews page and trading tips, as well as regular cover stories and multi-page investment focus features.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @DrMatthewPartri