This post originally appeared in the First Trade newsletter. You can sign up for Business Insider's daily markets newsletter here. It may not feel like it, but 2025 has been a record year for retail traders. It's been even busier than 2021, when GameStop mania was at its peak. Compared to last year, retail activity is up 50%. That's likely indicative of more volatility in 2025, especially the nearly 20% drawdown from February to early April. Those shifting sands gave rise to investment strategies th ...

It may not feel like it, but 2025 has been a record year for retail traders. It's been even busier than 2021, when GameStop mania was at its peak. Compared to last year, retail activity is up 50%. That's likely indicative of more volatility in 2025, especially the nearly 20% drawdown from February to early April. Those shifting sands gave rise to investment strategies that have defined the year since.So what are the trends that have dominated the year? The equity-strategy team at JPMorgan that focuses on r ...

Core Viewpoint - Gold prices increased in the early Asian session, driven by potential dip-buying following likely profit-taking activities [1] Group 1 - The rise in gold prices suggests a reaction to recent market movements, indicating investor interest in acquiring gold at lower prices after profit-taking [1]

Core Viewpoint - Gold prices increased during the early Asian session due to potential dip-buying after a decline triggered by Fed Chair Powell's comments regarding the uncertainty of a December rate cut [1] Group 1 - The rise in gold prices is attributed to possible dip-buying activity [1] - The initial decline in gold was influenced by Fed Chair Powell's indication that a December rate cut is not guaranteed [1]

Core Insights - Renaissance Technologies is recognized as the most successful hedge fund, with its Medallion Fund achieving annualized after-fees returns of 39% from 1998 to 2021 [1] - Despite the passing of its founder Jim Simons in 2024, Renaissance's investment strategies and quarterly moves continue to attract attention from investors [1] Group 1: Palantir Technologies - Palantir remains the largest holding in Renaissance's portfolio, despite a 17% reduction in shares during Q2 [2][3] - The stock experienced a significant increase of approximately 61% from March 31 to June 30 [2] - Over the past 52 weeks, Palantir's stock has surged nearly 400%, with a forward P/E ratio exceeding 200x [3] Group 2: Robinhood Markets - Robinhood is also among the top five holdings, with a 31% reduction in shares in Q2, while the stock rose about 125% during the same period [5][6] - The stock reached an all-time high forward P/E of around 71x in early June but has since decreased to approximately 54x [6] Group 3: UnitedHealth Group - Renaissance initiated a new position in UnitedHealth Group, purchasing approximately 1.35 million shares, following Berkshire Hathaway's significant investment [7][8] - The stock trades about 15% higher than its lowest level in Q2, indicating potential value for investors [9] Group 4: NVIDIA - Renaissance made a substantial increase in its position in NVIDIA, raising shares from around 1.1 million in Q1 to 7.4 million in Q2, marking a 584% increase [10] - The decision to increase holdings may have been influenced by a reassessment of previous fears related to DeepSeek [12] - The average closing price of NVIDIA remained stable between Q1 and Q2, suggesting that price action was not the primary factor for the dramatic change in position [11] Group 5: Investment Strategies - Renaissance's investment moves highlight two strategies: taking profits on significant winners and selectively dip-buying during downturns in dominant industry players [13]