Q1 – 2024
We asked thousands of retail investors from our million-strong global community about how they’re planning to invest in the first quarter of 2024 and their predictions for the year ahead. Our exclusive data reveals that retail investors are the most optimistic they’ve ever been: almost three-quarters believe global stock markets will be higher in a year. That follows a year in which over 50% of investors held back on investing and held onto cash instead, leaving an estimated $6 trillion on the sidelines ready to be deployed.
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Here’s a preview of the key takeaways from the Q1 Pulse
73% believe global stock markets will be higher in 12 months
40% are planning to invest more in the next three months
48% plan to invest between $10,000-$100,000 in the next 12 months
73% prefer to self-manage their portfolios and 63% use more than one app or service
The Finimize Index
Retail Investor Sentiment Vs. The S&P 500
The Finimize Index tracks retail investor sentiment across our 1 million global community and is updated every quarter. The percentage of respondents who think global stock markets will be higher a year from now has shot to its highest level since our survey began, coinciding with the S&P 500’s highest level in 2023.
Q: Do you think global stock markets will be higher 12 months from now?
Q: How much do you plan to invest in the next 12 months?
A more stable macro and geopolitical environment could encourage money back into markets
2023 was a year in which global uncertainty – both geopolitical and financial – led to over 50% holding back on investing and increasing their cash position. Despite that, they’re now optimistic for the year ahead.
The majority expect that interest rates will decrease or stay stable, and 40% are planning to invest more in the next three months, and almost half will invest $10,000-$100,000 or more in the year ahead.
Q: Where do you plan to invest most of your surplus income over the next 6-12 months?
Stocks and ETFs are the most popular investment choices
The majority of retail investors are still eyeing up stocks and ETFs as their main focus for next year, and tech stocks remain a firm favorite with Microsoft taking the lead as the top stock pick (36%), closely followed by Apple (34%).
In alternatives, there’s an increasingly popular view amongst retail investors that bitcoin will be higher in the next 12 months, with 56% believing this, potentially due to hoped-for approvals on crypto exchange-traded funds.
Q: What information sources do you trust the most when making investment decisions?
Retail investors want control and high-quality insights
Retail investors are continuing to oversee their own investments, with over 73% managing their own portfolio and a minority delegating full control to a wealth manager. And they’re gathering their insights from traditional financial media, content platforms, and direct company reports, eschewing social media.
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