According to the CAQ's newly-released report on its recent Annual Main Street Investor Survey of 1,100 American retail investors (defined on pg. 1), investor confidence in key investor protection "gatekeepers" remains high, albeit lower than last year's record highs.
Specifically, 81% of investors are confident that public company auditors are effective, and 80% of investors are confident that public company audit committees are effective, in their respective roles, down slightly from last year's 84% and 82%, respectively, but - with respect to audit committees - still higher than confidence levels expressed from 2011 - 2016. Confidence in audited financial statements and investing in public companies remains strong, but declined from last year as well - from 78% in 2017 to 75% this year as respects audited financial statements, and from 83% in 2017 to 78% this year as respects confidence in public companies.