Volumes drop by 20pc at London Stock Exchange Group
TRADING volumes on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) fell by a fifth during the summer months, the bourse’s parent group announced yesterday.
Average daily UK equity trading volume was £4bn for the five months to 31 August, down from £5bn for the same period last year. Including Italy, the total amount raised across the group’s markets fell 81 per cent to £4.3bn.
LSE is focusing on the development of its clearing and data services businesses, although the number of terminals subscribing to its real time UK data service dropped by seven per cent.
Chief executive Xavier Rolet said the company’s information business has performed “well” and its strategy of targeting non-cyclical business is working: “This is particularly pleasing given that some parts of our business have experienced difficult market conditions.”
Mark Thomas of Edison Investment Research said: “Diversification has helped offset challenging core markets. On the upside, the 23 per cent growth in initial margins will help treasury income and there have been small equity market share gains.”