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Big investors are all-in on stocks:

Global fund managers cut their cash holdings to 3.8% in October — the lowest level in 12 years. Cash has been 4% or less of total assets for four months in a row. Cash levels have only been this low a few times since 1999.

45% of managers now hold more stocks than usual, the highest since January 2025.

In short: institutional investors are very heavily invested in stocks right now.

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Adam Toth

The question is, who is going to move markets then. This sounds like a top signal. I would be surprised if we were at the top. I also keep hearing that there is a lot of money on the sidelines, is that about retail? Can they make a dent in this market?

Paul O

Great question, Adam but I think the key point James is making is actually the opposite of what a “top signal” would imply. The big funds weren’t fully in not even close until as of late. Allota of em been sitting on elevated cash levels for over a year, missing the rally while retail kept buying the dips. That’s unusual. What’s happening now is institutions are realizing they’ve missed the move FOMO 🤣 and they’re rotating capital back in before the Fed cuts. This move is late-cycle positioning not euphoric top behavior. As for your question about who’s left to push the market higher: ➤ There’s still $7 trillion parked in money market funds ➤ That’s not just retail it includes corporates, pensions, and high net-worth investors ➤ Once rate cuts happen, yields on those funds will fall, and capital will rotate into equities, bonds, and risk assets So there’s plenty of dry powder. And if anything, institutions jumping in now is a sign they see what’s coming. This feels more like mid-cycle acceleration, not exhaustion at the top.

BsTARD$uN

So glad for IA as I have been seeing the opposite of this information. MM