Crisis Brings Day Traders Back to Wall Street

Commissions shrinking as investors turn away from stocks

(NEWSER) - A rising number of stock brokers are abandoning the industry as markets fall and commissions dry up, the Wall Street Journal reports. More brokers have already departed this year than in any of the last 15 years, and experts expect the exodus to continue as investors shift assets out of the market and into safer areas that pay little in commissions. More»

Low interest rates entice small, leveraged players

(NEWSER) - Trading volume is rising on Wall Street, but it’s not because of renewed confidence from long-term investors. The surge has instead been powered by a 14% jump from online brokerages like Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade, and much of the money has been funneled into volatile parts of the market. Day traders, in other words, are back, trying to ride the latest market rally, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

Whole Foods shares worth less than a pound of scallops in their stores

(NEWSER) - Why settle for the goods when you can get the factory—or a piece of it—instead? Gawker finds more companies whose shares are worth less than products they sell:

• Have dreams of owning a brewery? Scoop up an Anheuser-Busch share ($20.16) for less than one Bud Light case.
• At $10.61, Gap isn't worth a pair of its own boxers.

Some, unlike disgraced investment bankers and traders, even command bonuses

(NEWSER) - With investment bankers and trading desks disgraced by crippling losses, the everyday stockbroker is enjoying a renaissance as Wall Street firms look to stay relevant to customers and investors, the Wall Street Journal reports. The likely deal between Morgan Stanley and Citigroup that would create the world’s largest brokerage unit underscores the importance Wall Street is placing on brokers as instruments of economic recovery. More»

2008 finishes as the worst year for the Dow since 1931

(NEWSER) - Weary relief that 2008 was finally over greeted the final bell at the New York Stock Exchange yesterday, but shaken investors worry about what 2009 holds, the New York Times reports. The final tally confirmed that the year was the worst for stockholders since the Great Depression. Stock plunges across the board wiped out the gains of the previous 6 years, erasing $7 trillion in wealth. More»