Core Viewpoint - The U.S. stock market is experiencing a shift where retail investors are becoming a significant force, supporting the market with their buying behavior, particularly in meme stocks and major tech stocks [1][3]. Group 1: Retail Investor Influence - Retail investors have shifted their focus from niche stocks in sectors like cryptocurrency and AI to well-known companies such as Palantir, AMD, and TransDigm, indicating a broader market impact [3]. - Retail trading volume has accounted for over 28% of the total trading volume in the S&P 500 over the past year, altering market dynamics and trading rules [7]. - The speculative trading sentiment among retail investors is on the rise, as indicated by Goldman Sachs' Speculative Trading Indicator reaching a reading of 114 [11]. Group 2: Institutional Investor Activity - Institutional investors are also increasing their market presence, driven by fear of missing out (FOMO), utilizing futures, swaps, and options to enhance their positions [6]. - The mild rise in financing spreads and expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut in September are key reasons for institutional investors to increase their exposure [6]. - Goldman Sachs strategists believe that the U.S. stock market still has room for further gains under the current conditions [6]. Group 3: Sector Preferences - Retail investors show a clear preference for non-essential consumer goods and technology stocks, while sectors like real estate and utilities are less favored [10]. - The Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) has seen nearly one-fifth of its trading volume coming from retail investors, significantly surpassing historical levels [10]. Group 4: Investment Strategy - The current market environment is characterized by a resonance between retail and institutional investors, suggesting that retail investors should focus on high-volume, high-market-cap stocks with concentrated retail buying, such as Palantir and AMD, to capture potential gamma squeezes [12]. - If the Federal Reserve initiates rate cuts in the second half of the year, the resonance between retail and institutional investors may further amplify stock market gains [13].