The Business Times
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An epic David-and-Goliath stock battle is under way

Retail traders are pouring into individual counters as professionals diversify

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Published Wed, Jul 1, 2026 · 07:00 AM
    • The effect retail investors are having on markets is particularly evident in South Korea; the Kospi is among the best-performing stock markets this year.
    • The effect retail investors are having on markets is particularly evident in South Korea; the Kospi is among the best-performing stock markets this year. PHOTO: EPA

    MEME mania swept through Wall Street in 2021. Retail investors gathered on social media and coordinated trading strategies to short squeeze high-profile hedge funds.

    Their success was more than financial; it was hailed as a David versus Goliath battle, a victory for the underdogs that toppled the almighty.

    That was just a skirmish. The conflict between retail and professional investors today has extended well beyond “degen” traders active on Reddit and a few hard-charging hedge funds.

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