Retail Trading Jumps 28% Since Mid-April, Powering S&P 500 Highs as Dow Reclaims 50,000
Updated
Updated · CNBC · May 14
Retail Trading Jumps 28% Since Mid-April, Powering S&P 500 Highs as Dow Reclaims 50,000
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · May 14
Goldman Sachs said individual investors have returned as a major market force, lifting the S&P 500 to record highs and helping push the Dow Jones Industrial Average back above 50,000.
A 28% surge in retail trading volume since mid-April reflects renewed AI enthusiasm, with traders piling back into high-growth names after sitting out much of March and early April during the U.S.-Iran war.
Retail investors now account for about 20% of U.S. equity trading volume despite holding roughly 10% of market value, and their use of margin and leveraged ETFs magnifies their impact on price swings.
Nvidia, Micron and AMD are among the biggest retail favorites—Nvidia is up 25% this year, Micron more than 176%, and AMD has more than doubled—though heavy retail activity also shows up in laggards such as American Airlines and Nu Holdings.
The rebound extends a tech-led rally already fueled by AI chip optimism and strong Cisco earnings, underscoring how retail risk appetite is amplifying momentum in growth stocks.
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