The total number of stock brokers in the cash segment of the country's bourses has declined to 7,350, one of the lowest levels in recent years.Increasing automation at the exchanges and lesser participation of retail investors are among the factors for the decline, experts said.latest data from capital market regulator Sebi shows that total number of registered brokers in the cash segment stood at 7,350 as on December 31, 2014.
In comparison, their numbers stood at 9,414 at the end of December 2013. The count was much higher at 10,128 as on December 2012, which was slightly lower than 10,263 seen in the year-ago period.