Retail investors playing key role in driving market volume

Retail Investors Playing Key Role In Driving Market Volume | Money In :60 | GZERO Media

Betty Liu, Executive Vice Chairman for NYSE Group, provides her perspective:

What's been the role of the retail investor over the past few months?

So, US equity market volumes have been pretty high, remarkably high since the end of February 2020, and much of that is being attributed to the rise in retail investment activity. In fact, on peak market days, retail investors can account for up to a quarter of all market activity.

Is this the case for the options market as well?

So, absolutely. In fact, the options market has seen a spike in individual investment activity. That has driven volumes to record highs. So, eight of the top ten multi list options volume days have occurred in the first six months of 2020. So, pretty remarkable indeed.

More from GZERO Media

- YouTube

Artificial intelligence is transforming the global workforce, but its impact looks different across economies. Christine Qiang, Global Director in the World Bank’s Digital Vice Presidency, tells GZERO Media’s Tony Maciulis that while “every single job will be reshaped,” developing countries are seeing faster growth in demand for AI skills than high-income nations.

Hamas militant stands guard, as heavy machinery operates at the site where searches are underway for the bodies of hostages killed after being seized by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attack, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, October 17, 2025.
REUTERS/Stringer

On Monday, Hamas freed the remaining 20 living hostages, while Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners — the first step in the ceasefire deal the two sides struck last week.

- YouTube

As the US economy continues to defy expectations, Eurasia Group Managing Director of Global Macro Robert Kahn says the key question is whether a slowdown has been avoided or merely delayed. “The headline here is the impressive resilience of the US, maybe also the global economy over the last six months,” Kahn tells GZERO Media’s Tony Maciulis on the sidelines of the 2025 World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings.

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi attend the world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13, 2025.

Egyptian Presidency/Handout via REUTERS

At first glance, it might seem odd that Tony Blair is leading the Western proposal for the future of Gaza.