Retail trading surges on current market volatility

6 November 2009
Angus Rigby, Chief Executive Officer, TD Waterhouse comments: "Trades are up another 12% since last week, with buys accounting for 67% of our customers' top ten trades. Yell Group, the international directories company, has climbed up three positions in the buys table to fifth place and made a new entrance - also at fifth place - in the sells table amid recent share price volatility.

"Last Friday (30 Oct) Yell shares jumped as much as 15% as the directories company awaited acceptances from the final two lenders for its £3.8bn debt refinancing plan to go ahead, which would give it the necessary 95% of acceptances it needed to amend its bank loans and open the door to a £500m equity raising. This was the latest announcement in a two-week saga of missed and extended deadlines as the company struggled to get agreement on the refinancing from around 1000 lenders. But on Monday (2 Nov) more than 300 banks backed the restructuring of the group's loans and the deal was completed.

"However, after an initially positive reaction, the company's shares slipped back by the end of the day but by Tuesday (3 Nov) they had dropped a further 20% - down 9.73p to 40p. The anticipated £500m rights issue may be announced with the company's half year figures next week. But some market analysts are sceptical that Yell's cash call will be enough to see it through, as the company already has around £4bn of debt. At the time of going to press Yell's share price stood at 44.13p.

"Aviva also reappeared in this week's tables at ninth position in both the buys and sells. Perhaps customers were trading the stock in anticipation of Aviva's results announcement. The insurer reported on Wednesday (4 Nov) that life and pension sales were in line for the first nine months of the year - albeit showing an 11% decline. It also said the outlook for profits was good. The company is now said to be on the acquisition trail, but has told Reuters it is not interested in buying RBS's insurance business. ING's assets could be another matter, however.

"Finally, there is no escaping the banks with the long awaited restructuring of Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group finally announced, to contrasting reactions. Shares in RBS closed 2.72p lower at 35.93p on Tuesday as the government planned an increase in its economic interest in the bank to 84.4%. Lloyds however has slipped free of the Asset Protection Scheme, and announced its long awaited £13.5bn cash call. On Tuesday, Lloyds' shares topped the FTSE 100 risers, up 2.33p at 87.33p."