Founded in 1993 by brothers Tom and David Gardner, The Motley Fool helps millions of people attain financial freedom through our website, podcasts, books, newspaper column, radio show, and premium investing services.
Laura Stewart is a Finance Editor at The Motley Fool, where she covers Australian and international equity markets. She joined the company in 2022, following a career transition from legal advisory work in Southeast Asia into the investment industry.
Prior to her current editorial role, Laura spent three years as an Equity Analyst and Writer, producing investment research across the ASX, NYSE, and NASDAQ. Her coverage included small-cap growth companies, thematic investment ideas, and high-quality U.S.-listed businesses.
Laura holds a Master of Applied Finance and brings additional expertise in accounting, taxation, and estate and wealth planning from her postgraduate studies. She also has a background in law and communications, which supports her analytical and reporting work in financial markets.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time in the Adelaide Hills with her flock of sheep.
Education
Laura holds a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism), and a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Accounting and Corporate Finance. In 2025, she completed a Master of Applied Finance at the University of Adelaide, receiving postgraduate awards in Accounting Concepts & Methods, Ethical Principles in Accounting & Finance, Real Estate Valuation & Investment, and Tax, Estate & Wealth Planning.
"Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it... he who doesn't... pays it."
— Albert Einstein
Published
Investing has traditionally been a male-dominated field.
Financial film classics such as Wall Street(1987), The Wolf of Wall Street (2012), and The Big Short (2014) all depict male characters as the main investing professionals. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to spot a female trader on any of those fictional trading floors!
Even in real life, it is the likes of the legendary Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger, and Peter Lynch who are often cited when discussing the greatest investors of all time.
Since 2020, 2.5 million Australians have begun their investing journeys. A record 11.5 million Australians now invest outside their primary residence and superannuation.
Men still dominate Australia's investor cohort. However, female participation has increased. Women now account for approximately 43% of all current investors in Australia who invest outside of their home and superannuation. This is up from 42% in 2023, a small but meaningful increase.
What's more interesting is that the study suggests that this dynamic could soon change. The ASX found that 61% of those who plan to begin their investing journey in the next 12 months were women. So, within the next few years, men and women could be equally represented.
There are several reasons to praise increased female investor participation. Of course, if done successfully it is a means of building significant wealth. But, do women also have a skill and temperament advantage over men? And does this make women also better investors in practice?
Image source: Getty Images
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