TOKYO, PLANTATION, Fla. and HONG KONG, Sept. 30, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TradeStation, a Monex Group company (Monex Group, Inc. is listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (code: 8698), today announced the results of the "Monex Global Retail Investor Survey, Vol. 10," revealing that U.S. investors remain hopeful about prospects for domestic stocks and the U.S. dollar in the fourth quarter of 2013, despite their decidedly pessimistic view of the global equities markets and the struggling U.S. economy.
In the online survey conducted in September 2013, U.S. investors were slightly less upbeat about the outlook for domestic stocks and the U.S. dollar than three months ago. Fifty-eight percent of TradeStation customers expected U.S. stocks to outperform stocks in Europe/U.K., Asia (excluding Japan) and Japan, down 5 points from June 2013 but still well above the 43% figure posted as recently as December 2012. Only 17% of U.S. investors expect Asian stocks (excluding Japan) to perform best over the fourth quarter of 2013, down 2 points from June and 6 points from the March 2013 survey result. TradeStation customers were also somewhat less bullish about the U.S. dollar, with less than half (46%) expecting the dollar to outperform the other major currencies in the next three months, down from 53% in June 2013 but still well above the 35% figure posted in December 2012.
If U.S. investors cling to hope for domestic stocks and the dollar, it may be because there's nowhere else to go. U.S. investors remain wary of the global equities markets, with 35% predicting they will decline in the fourth quarter of 2013, versus 30% predicting that global stocks will rise and 35% predicting they will remain flat. Investors likewise remain leery of the U.S. economy and its prospects for the remainder of 2013, with more than half (55%) of respondents predicting either no change or deteriorating conditions for the remainder of the year. Forty-two percent of respondents predicted slightly improving economic conditions, while just 2% foresee rapid improvement.
"This quarter's results represent a continuation of recent trends, with investors struggling to find opportunities in what remain very challenging market conditions both here and abroad," said Salomon Sredni, CEO of TradeStation Group, Inc. and COO of Monex Group, Inc. "In this environment, investors need all the help they can get, and we remain focused on providing TradeStation clients with tools and resources that are second to none."
Respondents' concerns about the markets were reflected in somewhat dampened expectations for their own trading volume over the next 12 months. Forty-four percent of respondents expected their trading volume to increase (down 6 points from June and 10 points from March).
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 and is conducted on a quarterly basis. Please refer to the full report for complete results.
While concerns about China's slowing economy have grown throughout the course of this year, TradeStation customers continue to see China playing an outsized role on the global economic stage. Fully 95% of respondents expect China to exert either great or some influence on the world economy in the near-term future. Thirty-seven percent of respondents cited China as the economic area outside their own that would experience the strongest GDP growth over the next 12 months. While still higher than all other regions, that figure is down significantly – 22 points – from December 2012.
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., IBFX, 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, futures or off-exchange foreign currency 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, futures, foreign exchange) 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 subsidiaries, TradeStation Securities, Inc. and IBFX, Inc., offers analytical and trading platforms 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, futures and forex trading strategies. TradeStation Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Monex Group, one of the largest online financial services providers in Japan, listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (code:8698).
TradeStation Securities, Inc. (Member NYSE, FINRA, SIPC, NSCC, DTC, OCC & NFA) is a licensed securities broker-dealer and a registered futures commission merchant, and also a member of the Boston Options Exchange, Chicago Board Options Exchange, Chicago Stock Exchange, International Securities Exchange and NASDAQ OMX. Its TradeStation Prime Services division, based in New York, seeks to provide prime brokerage services, including securities lending, to small and mid-sized hedge funds and other firms. IBFX, Inc. (Member NFA) is a Retail Foreign Exchange Dealer (RFED) that provides forex brokerage services directly and through its TradeStation Forex division. IBFX Australia Pty Ltd is registered with ASIC and provides forex brokerage services outside of the United States. The company's technology subsidiary, TradeStation Technologies, Inc., develops and offers strategy trading software tools and subscription services. TradeStation Europe Limited, an FSA-authorized brokerage firm, introduces UK and other European accounts to TradeStation Securities, Inc., IBFX, Inc. and IBFX Australia Pty Ltd.
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.