number of other traders out there?

anyone got any ideas on this?

( any leads, or estimates on any of these would be appreciated )

<b>
how many individual prop traders are there?
how many big, institutional traders / trading groups are out there?
how many hedge funds are out there?
how many Ameritrade , casual day traders are out there?
</b>

thanks

 

1. 50,000
2. 500
3. 8,000
4. A lot, from doctors to retirees

 

hey taofinance, thanks for your estimates!

how did you arrive at those numbers? are they just guesses ( which is fine ), or are they backed up by something besides gut instinct?