Are European Retail Traders better than United States Retail Traders?

Discussion in 'Trading' started by ElectricSavant, Sep 15, 2019.

Are European Retail Traders better than United Stated Retail Traders?

  1. Yes

  2. No

  3. I do not know

Results are only viewable after voting.
  1. Snuskpelle

    Snuskpelle

    My impression as a Swede is that American traders and investors are more sophisticated on average. That's why I hang out here.

    Sophisticated might not necessarily mean profitable though, if you belong to the "day trade according to some indicators without an edge" crowd.
     
    #31     Sep 18, 2019
  2. tomorton

    tomorton


    The UK is more capitalist than the US in some respects.
     
    #32     Sep 18, 2019
  3. tomorton

    tomorton

    Even if it could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that European traders were better than US traders (or vice versa) we'd be no further forward unless we understood why.

    There are a few differences I have noted amongst US traders that surprised me (as an English trader) -

    US traders hate to short the USD in forex
    US traders are less comfortable using percentages to define price differences, more comfortable using pips or points or dollars & cents
    US traders very readily rate stocks according to share price, rather than company characteristics like market cap etc.: the higher the price, the better the company!?!?

    There are also some structural differences between the US and British markets -

    UK traders can short anything as much as they want: there are no pattern day trader rules
    UK traders can spreadbet almost every major instrument: minimum stakes are pennies, minimum deposits are tiny
    UK regulation is really strict, at least compared to some European jurisdictions

    I've got to add I've had almost no contact with continental European traders, too little to generalise as above. On English language forums they're far more rare than Asian/Australasian traders.
     
    #33     Sep 18, 2019
  4. ZBZB

    ZBZB

    The Cfd and spread betting providers in the UK and Europe have to put on their websites what percentage of customers are profitable. 74% of IG index clients lose money.
     
    #34     Sep 18, 2019