July 1, 2026, 1:33 PM EDT. Retail traders set new records for trading in May and June, jumping into the market and driving up volumes. The uptick in so-called 'dumb money' activity showed small investors buying on dips during drops, showing a more tactical approach. The spike is changing how the market moves, with retail action now shifting price trends once driven mostly by institutions. Five charts in the coverage track how individual investors have become bigger players and what that means for trading.
