individual investors scooped up shares of single stocks and exchangetraded funds at a nearrecord clip in the first quarter they appear to have learned some lessons in risk taking as well individuals bought a net 777 billion in equities and etfs on us exchanges in the first three months of the year according to vanda research data which excludes contributions to 401ks and other retirement accounts that sum trails only the first quarters of 2021 and 2022 when they bought about 80 billion