The Character of Unit Trust Consultants in Influencing the Islamic Investment Behaviour and Intention

Investing in Islamic unit trust funds involves complex decision-making influenced by factors such as attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, religiosity, and the character of unit trust consultants. This paper examines the relationship between Islamic investment behaviour (IIB) which comprises attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and religiosity and investors’ intention to invest in Islamic unit trusts. Additionally, it assesses the moderating effect of consultant characteristics (personal traits, involvement, promotion, and competency). A quantitative approach using a survey of 291 respondents in Southern Malaysia revealed that IIB significantly influences investment intention. Moreover, the character of consultants significantly moderates this relationship. These findings have theoretical implications for extending the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) with religiosity and practical implications for consultant training and Islamic financial product marketing.