SEA: Practical Application of Science (May 2017)
ROMANIAN INVESTORS PORTFOLIO. ONLINE VERSUS ASSISTED TRADING
Abstract
One of the most important aspects in deciding to trade online, alone, without the help of a broker, is the portfolio profitability. In this study, using the personal experience, survey data and secondary sources, we identify some factors that may influence the gain and the loss of investors which trade online. Our study contradicts other results from literature that claim that the transition from assisted to online trading is a big drawback in terms of portfolio profitability. By analyzing the performance of the portfolio when passing from assisted to online trading, we observe that half of the investors achieved identical profitability. We also observed that the efficiency of the portfolios belonging to the online investors that were assisted in the past by a broker for a short period, is lower compared to the ones assisted (in the past) for a longer period.