Investor use of margin lending at a ten-year low

The number of investors operating margin loan accounts has fallen to its lowest level in ten years.

According to the latest Reserve Bank margin lending figures, the number of margin loan accounts fell from 149,000 in the September quarter last year to 147,000 in the December quarter.

The last time the number was so low was in December 2005.

Client account numbers fell 5.2 per cent over the 12 months to December.

Account balances fell during the quarter - down from A$11.9 billion in the September quarter to $11.8 billion in the December quarter. But over the 12 months to December balances were up by 2.7 per cent.

Margin calls rose from 0.58 per 1000 clients per day during the September quarter to 1.08 per 1000 clients per day in the December quarter.

The rate of margin calls in December was the highest since June 2013.