TOKYO and PLANTATION, Fla. and HONG KONG , June 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TradeStation, a Monex Group company (Monex Group, Inc. is listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, code: 8698) and award-winning* broker-dealer and futures commission merchant, today announced the results of the “Monex Global Retail Investor Survey, Vol. 23.” The survey found that U.S. investors who use the TradeStation remain largely confident that the U.S. economy and global equities markets will continue to perform well in 2017, though their expectations have been somewhat tempered since the beginning of the year.
Results of the recently conducted online survey show that nearly halfway through 2017, U.S. investors’ perception of global equities markets has diminished somewhat from six months earlier. Of U.S. survey respondents, 41% said they expect global stocks to gain ground in the next three months, down from 50% in December 2016 but still significantly higher than the 26% who had such expectations in June 2016. The percentage of those expecting global equities to remain flat more than doubled, rising to 34% from 16% in December, while the percentage of respondents expecting global equities markets to decline over the next three months dropped to 25% from 34% in December.
When queried about their expectations for the U.S. equities market over the next three months, U.S. investors remained bullish, with 56% saying they expect U.S. stocks to outperform their counterparts in Europe/U.K., Asia (excluding Japan) and Japan. Twenty-nine percent expect Europe/UK stocks to outperform the U.S. and other regional markets, roughly double the percentage of respondents (14%) who chose Asia (excluding Japan). Investors’ expectations for their own trading activity over the next 12 months remained solid, with fully 93% saying they expect their trading volume to increase or stay the same in the coming year.
When questioned about the Federal Reserve and interest rates, investors also expressed strong confidence that the central bank will hike interest rates this summer. Nearly half (48%) expect the Fed to raise rates at its June 2017 meeting, 18% expect a rate hike in July and another 23% expect the Fed to take action in September. Just 6% of respondents expect the Fed to hold off on rates until 2018 or later.
“The survey results suggest that after the uncertainty that characterized much of 2016, U.S. investors have once again found their footing,” said John Bartleman, President of TradeStation Group, Inc. “At TradeStation, we’re not only focused on developing trading tools and apps that position our clients to make the most of improved market conditions, but also on giving them options – like our simplified per-trade pricing – that are best suited to the way they actually trade.”
In other survey results:
- When asked whether the perception of increasing geopolitical risk (e.g., North Korean missile tests) had altered their investment strategy, investors were largely unfazed, with just 13% saying that such considerations had caused them to change strategy.
- Likewise, controversy surrounding ongoing investigations of alleged Russian collusion with the 2016 Trump presidential campaign had virtually no influence on investors’ outlook, with just 6% of survey respondents saying such concerns had caused them to alter their strategy.
- Finally, when asked about their interest – and willingness to invest – in virtual currency products such as bitcoins, a large of majority of respondents said they either have no interest in virtual currency (51%) or are not familiar with it (22%). Another 24% expressed interest in virtual currency but had not yet invested in it; just 3% of survey respondents said they already have invested in virtual currency.
Monex has been conducting its monthly retail investor survey with its Japanese clients since October 2009. The “Monex Global Retail Investor Survey,” covering retail clients in Japan, Hong Kong and the U.S., was launched in June 2011. Please refer to the full report for complete results.
The Monex Global Retail Investor Survey measures customer sentiment based upon answers to specific questions received from a random sampling of customers of Monex, Inc., TradeStation Securities, Inc., and Monex Boom Securities (H.K.) Ltd. Details of the methodology used to conduct the survey are available upon request. Accuracy and completeness of the data derived from the survey is not guaranteed.
The information contained herein should not be construed as investment research or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities, securities derivatives or futures products or services. Investor sentiment derived from the survey responses is no guarantee of future performance or success.
Active trading regardless of asset class (equities, options, futures) carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Relevant risk disclosures are available at www.tradestation.com.
About Monex Group, Inc.
Monex Group Inc. (Tokyo Stock Exchange 1st section: 8698), including its main subsidiary Monex Inc. (Tokyo, Oki Matsumoto, Chairman and CEO), an online securities brokerage, provides advanced and unique financial services to individual investors. Monex Group has been a pioneer among Japanese online securities brokers since the complete liberalization of commissions and fees in stock brokerages in 1999. Monex relentlessly strives to offer its customers in Japan innovative products and services and has established its reputation as a unique independent financial institution group. Its services cover M&A advisory, debt & equity underwriting, asset management focusing on alternative investments, investment education, and other investment banking functions along with an online distribution network to more than 1.2 million individual investors in Japan.
Monex Group aims to globalize its customer base and businesses in addition to enhancing its global product line and services. Specifically, in recent years, Monex has embarked on an ambitious plan to strengthen its products and services globally by focusing its expansion efforts to date on the growing Chinese market, by opening representative offices in Beijing and acquiring Boom Securities (H.K.) Limited and its group companies in Hong Kong. As a core element in the further expansion and global diversification of its businesses, it has been seeking opportunities to expand into the U.S. market, which it saw as the missing pillar in achieving a truly global platform. The acquisition of TradeStation provides Monex with an immediate expansion and strong commercial presence in the U.S. online brokerage market.
About TradeStation Group, Inc.
TradeStation Group, Inc., through its principal operating subsidiary, TradeStation Securities, Inc., offers the TradeStation analysis and trading platform to the active trader and certain institutional trader markets. The TradeStation platform offers electronic order execution and enables clients to design, test, optimize, monitor and automate their own custom equities, options and futures trading strategies. TradeStation Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Monex Group, Inc., one of the largest online financial services providers in Japan.
* Visit TradeStation.com/Awards for more information.
TradeStation Securities, Inc. (Member NYSE, FINRA, SIPC, NSCC, DTC, OCC & CME) is a licensed securities broker-dealer and a registered futures commission merchant (FCM), and a member of the major stock, options and futures exchanges in the United States. The London-based subsidiary, TradeStation International Ltd (FCA regulated), introduces UK and other European accounts to TradeStation Securities, Inc. The company's technology subsidiary, TradeStation Technologies, Inc., develops and offers strategy trading software tools and subscription services, and hosts the TradingApp® Store.
About Monex Boom Securities (H.K.) Limited
Monex Boom Securities (H.K.) Limited (“BOOM”) offers multi-market and multi-currency online securities trading services to investors all around the world. With BOOM’s proprietary web-based trading platform, investors can trade equities in all major exchanges and manage different major currencies via one single account. Currently, it offers access to securities listed on over 17 stock markets in 12 countries. In addition, BOOM also develops trading solutions for other financial institutions.
Being the first company to launch Internet stock trading in Asia/Pacific, BOOM introduced a new pattern of self-directed cross-border investment by applying new technology to traditional equities trading and financial services. BOOM aims to provide retail investors with PRIVATE, EASE, SPEEDINESS and INEXPENSIVE international stock trading services.
BOOM is a fully licensed Broker / Dealer regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Hong Kong. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Monex Group, one of the largest online financial services providers in Japan.