(BFM Bourse) – The volatility observed on the markets has not deterred individual investors from taking action. Between April and June, more than 900,000 individual investors made a purchase or sale on the equity markets, according to the latest survey by the Autorité des marchés financiers.
Individual investors have remained very active on their PEA or securities account despite a context that does not encourage them to throw themselves headlong into risky assets. In the second quarter, the financial markets indeed suffered from fears of a recession while central bankers are maneuvering to control inflation at its highest in decades.
In the second quarter of 2022, however, 931,000 retail investors made a purchase or sale on the equity markets, according to the 7th edition of the Dashboard of active retail investors published by the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). This is as much as in the second quarter of 2021 (934,000) and the fourth quarter of 2019, which had been marked by the IPO of La Française des Jeux, arousing the enthusiasm of the French for the Stock Exchange. And that’s 138,000 more individual investors than in the 1st quarter of 2022.
More sellers than buyers
Between April and June, 599,000 retail investors bought shares, a level that remains in the high range of previous quarters. On the other hand, the sharp decline in CAC 40 over the period fueled the procession of sellers. Between high inflation and an impending recession, the stock markets suffered particularly during the second quarter of 2022. Over the period, sellers therefore logically took control and were at the “record” level of 639,000 against 599,000 buyers. The buyer-seller balance is thus in negative territory.
As for the number of new investors, it remained relatively high at 64,000, but is down from the first quarter. The number of transactions made by individuals in shares remained stable compared to the first quarter, at 10.82 million.
Data relating to Exchange traded funds (ETFs) – these financial products generally making it possible to replicate the performance of an index – for the past quarter will be published later as they are “subject to verification”, specifies the AMF.
Sabrina Sadgui – ©2022 BFM Bourse