The number of private individuals who have carried out at least one share purchase or sale transaction has reached its lowest level for three years, according to the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF).
The number of individuals who made at least one stock market purchase or sale fell by 35% in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the previous quarter. Only 600,000 individuals made at least one purchase or sale of shares between July and September, the AMF revealed. While retail stock market activity is traditionally lower in the summer months, this level is still lower than in the third quarter of 2021.
The number of investors is even slightly lower than in 2020 (604,000). To find so few individual investors, one has to go back to the third quarter of 2019. Active individuals also carried out fewer transactions (8.8 million on average over the quarter).
“Uncertainty in the markets is reflected in the lower activity of retail investors. With the markets falling for the third consecutive quarter, retail investors appear to have adopted a wait-and-see attitude and held on to their positions,” the AMF said.
Furthermore, the AMF counted only 39,000 new buyers, i.e. individuals who carried out “at least one purchase transaction for the first time since 1 January 2018”, again the lowest level for three years.
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