The financial crisis appears to be driving investors into putting their money into banks rather than finance companies.
ASB Bank highlights the trend in its latest survey of investor confidence in the past three months.
For the first time in eight years of tracking investor intentions, the survey found bank term deposits are seen as providing the best returns.
Bank savings accounts are the second choice.
Support for investing in rental properties continues to drop - but is still more popular than investing in shares, or managed funds.
ASB head of investment services Jonathan Beale says investors are clearly making a distinction between finance companies and banks.
The survey was completed before an announcement by the Government of a guarantee on deposits on 12 October.
