Schwab survey shows bullishness among traders reaches highest level in two years

Schwab survey shows bullishness among traders reaches highest level in two years

Traders are feeling better about the markets than they have any time in the past two years with 56% reporting a bullish outlook for the next three months, up ten points from the second quarter. This is according to the latest Charles Schwab Trader Sentiment Survey, a quarterly survey that explores the outlooks, expectations and perspectives of traders at Charles Schwab. 

Trader optimism extends beyond the short-term market outlook, with nearly six in ten traders feeling it is a good time to invest (up 11 points QoQ) and more than half saying they are better off financially compared to a year ago (up five points QoQ and seven points YoY). Additionally, most traders (69%) are confident in their decision-making. 

Inflation, which was traders’ top concern last quarter, fell to third place while expectations for Fed rate cuts increased. Thirty-three percent of those surveyed expect rate cuts of 50 basis points or more in the remainder of the year, up from 25% of respondents predicting such cuts last quarter. 

“Coming into the third quarter, traders reported higher levels of optimism about the markets and economy – and continued confidence in their own decision-making,” said James Kostulias, Head of Trading Services at Charles Schwab. “While we have seen increased market volatility since fielding our Q3 survey, we’re seeing some longer-term positivity among traders, and they are in a better position than ever before to manage volatility and market risks in a nuanced way thanks to the insights, education and professional-grade platforms and tools at their fingertips.”