Market Participants

In the market, a number of different participants execute trades simultaneously, and each has their own goals, tools, and impact. Understanding who is on the "other side" will help you better comprehend market movements.

Retail Traders

This is you — individual traders who execute trades with their personal accounts.

Characteristics:

• Small capital (from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars)
• Overall market 5-10% of total volume
• Often subject to emotional decisions
• Obtain information from public sources