US retail investors are increasingly unnerved by the stock market rout, seeking more investment advice, questioning whether to buy dips and looking for safer havens, according to strategists and wealth advisers. "We're seeing less dip buying, which we haven't seen in a while, which tells us people are taking a step back," said Joe Mazzola, chief trading and derivatives strategist at Charles Schwab. He said the firm had seen a rise in risk aversion among retail investment clients since mid-February, as those with larger portfolios became net sellers. Overall, money market funds have high cash levels and record assets, according to the Investment Company Association. Cash levels rose steadily last week to a new record of $7.30 trillion, compared with about $7.17 trillion at the start of 2025, according to analysts at Crane Data, which tracks market flows.