Survey results published today by Standard & Poor’s and BusinessWeek show that 84% of U.S. investors remain confident about the U.S. economy but 58% are also concerned about their investment portfolios.

In addition, 58% say they have become “more conservative” in their investment strategies compared to a year ago. Only 19% felt that financial advisors are “extremely” or “very capable” of providing help in coping with market uncertainties.

Survey results clearly highlight that trust is the single most important characteristic investors look for in advisors. And investors overwhelmingly prefer face-to-face or telephone interactions over those via the Internet or e-mail.

“The Standard & Poor’s/BusinessWeek survey offers important insights into the financial advisor-individual investor relationship, such as what investors look for in financial advisors, how they prefer to interact, and what investors think of advisors’ Web sites,” said Kenneth Ennis, managing director, Investment Services Standard & Poor’s. “The most notable results are the differences between investment advice-seekers and ‘do-it-yourselfers”’, he added. “Investors who have financial advisors tend to be more confident about the economy, less confused by the opinions and recommendations of financial experts and more likely to have re-balanced their portfolios in October.”

Data for the study were collected through an online survey among members of the BusinessWeek Online Market Advisory Panel, consisting of over 8,000 subscribers to BusinessWeek and BusinessWeek Online. Standard & Poor’s and BusinessWeek Market Research departments jointly designed the survey, which will be undertaken annually. A total of 2,063 individuals participated in this survey, of which 83% were male and 17% female; 39% have financial advisors and 48% trade stocks online. Demographically, the study group of individual investors is more affluent than the general population. The median household income is $120,000, and the median age is 46.