Monex Global Retail Investor Survey Highlights Optimism Among Respondents in U.S. Stock Markets Amid Volatility

By: TradeStation Group, Inc. via Business Wire

February 11, 2025 at 08:30 AM EST

Survey reveals 95% of surveyed U.S. investors believe the U.S. stock markets have the greatest likelihood of stock appreciation in the coming three months relative to other regions

TradeStation Group, Inc., a Florida-based Monex Group company whose main operating subsidiary provides award-winning^†, self-clearing online brokerage services for trading stocks, options, futures, and futures options, announced the results of Monex’s 32nd Global Retail Investor Survey.

The results of the survey, which gauged sentiment from customers of Monex, Inc. and TradeStation Securities, Inc. (“TradeStation”), generally indicate optimism about the outlook among retail investors both in Japan and the U.S., with especially high expectations for U.S. stocks relative to the EU/UK, Asia excluding Japan, and Japan regions. While Japanese retail investors were more conservative in their outlook than investors in the U.S., less than half of all Japanese investors surveyed thought that risk aversion was necessary compared to almost 65% of surveyed U.S. investors.

“As we enter 2025, optimism among retail investors remains high, particularly in the U.S., where expectations for stock performance remain elevated,” said John Bartleman, President and CEO of TradeStation Group. “With evolving market dynamics and a new administration in office, we remain committed to equipping active traders with the tools needed to navigate opportunities and risks ahead.”

The forecast Diffusion Index (DI), which measures the percentage of respondents who answered, “will rise or improve” minus the percentage of respondents who answered, “will fall or deteriorate,” for the world’s major stock markets, rose among retail investors in Japan, increasing by 8 points. However, it fell among retail investors in the U.S., decreasing by 17 points, compared to the previous survey conducted in December 2023.

The 2024 survey outlook for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) includes:

The highest percentage of survey respondents in Japan and the U.S. expect the 2025 DJIA high to be between $45,000 and $49,000.
The highest percentage of survey respondents in Japan and the U.S. expect the 2025 DJIA low to be between $39,000 and $42,000.

Respondent-customers from Monex, Inc. and TradeStation believe the U.S. has the greatest likelihood of stock price appreciation in the coming three months among the U.S., EU/UK, Asia excluding Japan, and Japan regions. Specifically, more than 95% of surveyed TradeStation customers have positive expectations for the U.S. stock markets relative to the EU/UK, Asia excluding Japan, and Japan regions. In addition, regarding the market outlook following the reelection of President Trump, many retail investors in Japan and the U.S. responded positively. Around 70% answered that the DJIA and NASDAQ Composite Index would probably rise in response to his reelection.

About the Survey

The Monex Global Retail Investor Survey, covering random and anonymous retail clients in Japan and the U.S., was launched in June 2011 to gauge client sentiment surrounding market conditions. The 32nd edition surveyed 1,631 respondents from Monex, Inc. and TradeStation, between December 12 to December 19, 2024. The full report is available here: 2024 Monex Global Retail Investor Survey.

About Monex Group, Inc.

Monex Group, Inc., listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (security code: 8698), is a holding company of global entities primarily in the financial field, such as retail online brokers in Japan and the U.S., and a crypto asset exchange service provider in Japan. Monex Group has a corporate philosophy of "optimizing each person's life-time balance sheet," which makes the firm committed to realizing individual self-fulfillment by offering various services beyond the financial field.

About TradeStation Securities, Inc.

TradeStation Securities, Inc. (Member NYSE, FINRA, SIPC, NSCC, DTC, OCC, NFA & CME) is a subsidiary of TradeStation Group, Inc. It offers self-clearing equities, options, futures, and futures options brokerage services as a licensed securities broker-dealer and futures commission merchant. TradeStation Securities is a member of major equities and futures exchanges in the United States.

About TradeStation Group, Inc.

Founded in 1982, TradeStation Group companies (TradeStation) provide institutional-grade fintech tools and account-related services – and is where sophisticated traders can find their home. TradeStation seeks to deliver the ultimate trading experience to retail and institutional clients that need a customizable trading ecosystem to perform their strategies. TradeStation provides award-winning† trading and analysis platforms and self-clearing online brokerage services for equities, options, futures, and futures options. These advanced tools are accessible on desktop, web, and mobile devices, as well as via API technologies that provide seamless access to TradeStation’s brokerage environment through third-party platforms. Created by traders, for traders, TradeStation’s institutional-level offerings cater to those who are born to trade.

†Visit www.TradeStation.com/Awards to learn more.