Retail participation and higher volumes boost broking business in 2020

The number of active investors has gone up 30-40% for most top brokers after the Covid outbreak

The increased retail participation and the surge in cash and derivatives volumes helped boost the income of brokerages in 2020.

The year saw the emergence of the ‘Robinhood’ phenomenon, with retail investors opting for direct stock purchases during periods of a sharp correction. This was helped by a reversal in sentiment as the indices staged a sharp recovery after May, and ended 2020 with gains of more than 80 per cent over March 23 lows, largely driven by easy liquidity across the globe and the resulting deluge of overseas inflows.

“Investors have become better informed and are betting on frontline names, rather