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The majority of investors are keeping faith with their investments, while a large number are also considering further investments, according to a new survey by F&C Investments.

The survey questioned more than 780 investors in F&C investment trusts, and while nearly half of respondents (47 per cent) said they had decreased their expenditure as a result of the credit crunch, more than nine out of 10 said they had no intention of selling their investments as a consequence of current market conditions.

Further, 60 per cent said now was a good time to invest in equities, though the level of uncertainty in the market was reflected by the fact 32 per cent of respondents said they did not know whether now was a good time.

Only 8 per cent said it was a bad time to invest in equities.

The UK was the most popular area for future investment, with 30 per cent of respondents opting for this country, while 28 per cent chose global equities. Asia and North America were the next most popular regions at 19 per cent and 18 per cent, respectively.

The survey also revealed most investors were quietly optimistic about the future of the economic downturn.

Thirty-seven per cent predicted a recovery would happen within two years, while 39 per cent said it would take 3-5 years.

Eighty-seven per cent predicted the global economy and stock markets would recover within the next five years, while only 11 per cent were bullish enough to predict recovery within the next year.

Mike Woodward, head of investment trusts at F&C Investments, said the message that investors were "not giving up on the markets" was borne out by his company's investment trust repurchase figures.

He said: "Latest figures for the first quarter of 2009 show redemptions are down significantly - by 56 per cent compared with Q1 2008 and 77 per cent compared with Q1 2007."