Retail Investors Pour Into Nvidia While Palantir Draws Attention

Retail investors chase Nvidia’s AI story while Palantir draws notable inflows ahead of September trading.

Retail Investors Bet On Nvidia as Palantir Gains Attention

Retail investors poured money into Nvidia while Palantir attracted notable interest, according to JPMorgan data released ahead of September trading. Nvidia attracted $867 million in net inflows from small investors over the past week, the largest single-stock inflow in the market. Palantir gained attention with more than $300 million in weekly inflows, making it the second-most favored name. Other names such as AMD and SoundHound AI also attracted money, and even meme-linked Opendoor showed up on the list. Nvidia shares slipped more than 2 percent during the week, even after the company beat on earnings and raised guidance; buying activity after the earnings call was four times higher than the day before.

While Nvidia leads in retail inflows, broader flows have cooled. Goldman Sachs noted that notional inflows into Nvidia peaked near $140 billion in 2024 and have since eased to about $50 billion, signaling a slower pace of enthusiasm. JPMorgan analysts observed that retail activity outside Nvidia has cooled since the first half of 2025, though there is ongoing interest in AMD, Palantir, and other names. The market picture shows a mix of continued AI hype and a shift toward diversification among retail traders.

The numbers show a market still drawn to the AI narrative but with a calmer rhythm. Nvidia remains the anchor for retail money, even as the stock fluctuates, while Palantir’s inflows suggest investors are looking for data-driven growth stories beyond the obvious AI leader. The spread of interest to AMD and other names indicates a broadened palate, yet the pace difference compared with last year hints at a more cautious mood. For markets, this suggests momentum is intact but not as frenzied, with earnings and fundamentals becoming a clearer test for continued inflows.

Policy makers and market observers should watch how retail flows interact with prices in a shifting tone of optimism. If inflows retreat or diverge from fundamentals, we could see sharper moves and higher volatility. The lesson so far is that enthusiasm remains but requires ballast from earnings momentum, product progress, and disciplined diversification to endure.

Highlights

Markets will test whether the Nvidia lead can hold as rivals push for a broader AI rally.