This IDC Financial Insights report discusses the development, across the retail online brokerage space, of a growing niche of private investors who are riding the storm by capitalizing on market volatility in today's bearish market.

According to Simona Macellari, research manager for Financial Insight's European Capital Markets, "After the Gold Rush, etrading economics demonstrated that the business model of traditional retail discount brokers, focused on execution only, was barely viable. Surviving retail brokers moved toward a full-service model to expand asset gathering by covering more asset types or more stages of the investment cycle. Now the online retail brokerage industry is changing again. From the ashes of the financial crisis, a new breed of specialized, execution-only brokers is rising and flourishing. They have proven to be very profitable by addressing, at the pan European level, the niche retail segment of CFD traders. This niche is the fastest growing and most lucrative segment of retail trading with a five-year CAGR of more than 12% in Western Europe."

"As active retail investors cast their eyes over the brokerage landscape, they seek innovative ways in which to capitalize on the volatility evident in Europe's financial markets. Those that are willing to embrace risk to drive their own investment mandates are increasingly looking to trade more exotic financial instruments via online platforms. Without doubt, this growing level of demand is a reflection of the current lack of confidence in the professional investment management industry. Self-service investment is now the priority for the sophisticated retail investor. With this in mind, specialist execution brokers offer a compelling mix of innovative financial products and technological excellence," said Matthew Clay, senior research analyst, EMEA Financial Insights.

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