Morgan Stanley Wealth Management has announced the results of its quarterly retail investor pulse survey, with findings indicating that bearishness rose, inflation remains a major concern and there’s doubt regarding rate cuts.
The majority (51 percent) of investors are now bearish; up 9 percentage points from last quarter. Inflation tops tariffs as the chief worry. Over two out of five (41 percent) investors say inflation is their top portfolio concern, followed by tariffs in second with 35 percent and market volatility in third with 24 percent. Rate-cut optimism faded. Less than half of investors (48 percent) believe the U.S. economy is healthy enough for rate cuts, down from 59 percent last quarter.
Yet investors are staying the course. 37 percent of investors do not plan to make changes to their portfolio, down only 2 percentage points from last quarter. Further, less than one in five (17 percent) plan to move to the sidelines in cash.
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