TD customer top ten trades

Financial stocks were very popular with TD Waterhouse customers in the week ending Tuesday 6 September.

Commenting, Darren Hepworth, trading and customer services director, TD Waterhouse, said: "Financial stocks were top of TD Waterhouse customers' agenda again as the recent unpredictability in the markets continued in the week ending Tuesday, 6 September.

“The FTSE 100 closed at 5,156.84 on Tuesday amid renewed fears over the health of Britain's economy. Meanwhile, the number of top ten buy trades among our customers increased by a third on last week, outnumbering sells by 1.7:1.

"British banks continued to dominate the top three positions on both the buys and sells tables this week.

“Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland are being sued by the US Federal Housing Finance Agency for their role in the sale of sub-prime mortgage debt to American financial giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

“Barclays, which accounted for over 21% of this week's top ten trades overall, leapfrogged Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland, landing at the top of the buys table. Lloyds Banking Group retained pole position in the sells and is not among the banks being sued by the US Federal Housing Finance Agency

"Further down the table, Aviva was the fourth most popular buy this week as rumours circulated about a potential takeover bid for the company, with Switzerland's Zurich Financial the latest to be linked with an offer for the British insurer. The takeover talk failed to boost Aviva's share price however, which peaked at 343p on Thursday (1 September) before falling steadily to a low of 298p by Tuesday (6 September).

"In oil, Xcite Energy re-entered our customer top ten buys and sells tables as its share price rose on Thursday (1 September) appearing to encourage TD customers to trade. Having closed the previous day at 127p, the stock hit 150p, before closing the week ending Tuesday (6 September) just below 133p. The oil explorer was eighth in the buys and fifth in the sells.

"Elsewhere, Chariot Oil & Gas reappeared in the top ten sells in 10th place as the company's CEO announced last Thursday (1 September) that it has hired experienced oil man, Larry Bottomley, as its new non-executive director. The AIM-listed oil and gas explorer recently confirmed a deal to team up with oil giant BP to drill an exploration well in Namibia. BP was also among our customers' most popular sells, climbing two places to seventh, while retaining fifth spot in the buys."