As 2018 Draws to a Close, U.S. Investors Temper Their Outlook for Global and U.S. Markets

TOKYO and PLANTATION, Fla. and HONG KONG, Dec. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- 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. 26." The survey found that U.S. investors who use the TradeStation analysis and trading platform continue to temper their expectations for the global and U.S. equities market entering 2019.

Results of the recently conducted online survey show that U.S. investors remain generally positive in their outlook for the global equities markets, though expectations have diminished significantly from a year ago. Of U.S. survey respondents, 41% said they expect global stocks to further advance in the next three months – nearly identical to the 42% in the last survey in June 2018 but well below the 62% result one year ago in December 2017. Nearly one-third (31%) of investors expect global equities to decline over the next three months, up from 24% in June 2018 and just 14% in December 2017.

When asked about their expectations for the U.S. equities market over the next three months, U.S. investors remain bullish. Nearly three in four (74%) say they expect U.S. stocks to outperform their counterparts in Europe/U.K., Asia (excluding Japan) and Japan, little changed from 71% in the June 2018 survey. Expectations for the U.S. economy and U.S. dollar, however, sharply diverged. Just 40% of survey respondents expect the U.S. economy to improve in 2019 – down from 65% just six months ago – while 63% expect the U.S. dollar to strengthen against the other major currencies, up from 58% in June. Fully half (50%) of U.S. investors said they expect the Federal Reserve to take further action at its meeting this month.

When asked about expectations for their own trading activity over the next 12 months, 51% said they expect their own trading volume to increase in 2019, compared to 54% six months ago; only 8% say they are likely to curtail their trading activity.

"The survey results show that despite growing concerns about the domestic economy, U.S. investors remain committed to traditional equities markets," said John Bartleman, President of TradeStation Group, Inc. "TradeStation in turn remains committed to giving active traders and investors the tools they need to take advantage of opportunities in the increasingly volatile financial markets."

In other survey results:

• When asked about which industry sectors would provide attractive opportunities over the next three months, strong majorities of U.S. investors cited healthcare (74%) and consumer goods (65%).
• Investors remain divided in their perceptions of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Sixty-five percent said they have no interest in virtual currency, up from 53% six months ago. The percentage of respondents who said they already have invested in virtual currency (16%) was virtually unchanged from six months ago (17%), but up from 11% in December 2017.
• In follow-up questions about cryptocurrency, 50% of investors expect virtual currency to increase its presence in the future, compared to 40% who do not. Of those expecting crypto to have a larger footprint in the future, fully 61% cited the groundbreaking nature of blockchain technology.

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., listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange (security code: 8698), has grown to become a major online financial institution that operates retail online brokerages in Japan, the U.S., China (including Hong Kong) and Australia. In addition, Monex offers business services in international forex, asset management, investor education and M&A advisory.

Monex Group aims to create a new type of financial group for a new era. At its core, Monex will offer crypto asset banking operations and online brokerage services that link the world's financial markets by bringing together Coincheck's cryptocurrency trading, storage and payment capabilities with the expertise and technology of our online brokerage operations in Japan, the U.S., China and Australia.

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, CME, SIPC NSCC, DTC & OCC) 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 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.

SOURCE TradeStation Group, Inc.

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