Trader Trends: Netflix sentiment surges while shorting of FTSE intensifies

• Netflix saw 81% jump in clients trading it and biggest positive sentiment swing across all stocks
• Opendoor led breakout charts with 3,000% rise in traders amid brief meme-stock revival
• FTSE 100 shorting activity jumped 34% despite hitting record highs, as IG customers turned more cautious on UK equities

UK traders threw their weight behind Netflix in July while sentiment towards the FTSE 100 turned more negative, according to new data from investing and trading platform IG.

IG’s monthly Trader Trends report provides a snapshot of customer behaviour each month – showing the most traded stocks, the breakout assets and the biggest sentiment swings across key asset classes.

In July, a flash of meme-stock mania helped Opendoor Technologies – a US-based digital real estate platform – lead the breakout rankings with a 3,000% month-on-month rise in traders, albeit from a low base. QuantumScape Corp (+93%) also featured among the top breakouts, reflecting renewed interest in the quantum tech theme in recent months. But it was Netflix that stood out, with an 81% surge in customers trading the stock and the biggest bullish sentiment shift of any company, as investors bought into signs of improving profitability and a rebound in subscriber growth.

On the flip side, sentiment towards Palantir – the AI and big data analytics firm which has benefitted from the recent defence sector momentum – turned sharply negative. The proportion of traders holding short positions in the stock (i.e. betting it would fall) jumped from 33% to 51%, signalling a clear shift in mood and potential profit taking after a blockbuster 2025.

Despite hitting fresh all-time highs during the month, the FTSE 100 saw a 34% increase in short sentiment, suggesting traders were rotating out of the index or hedging against the risk of a pullback. In contrast, the number of traders shorting GBP/USD fell significantly (-37%). After a strong rally in the pound so far this year, traders are clearly backing more of the same despite the recent reversal of the trend.

Chris Beauchamp, IG Chief Market Analyst, commented: “Netflix’s rebound is a sign that retail traders remain drawn to brand-led names when there’s a whiff of recovery or value. Investors clearly see recent improvements in the company’s fundamentals and are responding in kind.

“Meanwhile, the sharp drop in FTSE sentiment shows how quickly positioning can shift, even in markets posting new highs. The July data tells a story of rotation – out of slower-moving assets and into opportunities that feel more speculative or growth-led.”

The breakouts: Assets which saw greatest month-on-month jump in traders

Long and short of it: The biggest sentiment swings from major asset classes during July

The most traded: Stocks which saw highest number of trades in July