Revealed: The most-traded investments in July reflect a commodities recovery
Investment and trading platform Interactive Investor has revealed its top most-traded for the month of July.
The rankings reflected a recovery in commodities price, the ever-present poplarity of tech stocks, and strong demand for Lloyds.
Top by a mile
Most traded large cap shares
Lloyds
AstraZeneca
Glaxosmithkline
BP
BT
Despite missing analyst expectations in its results last week, Lloyds continued to be popular with investors. “Lloyds’ shares volumes were more than double the next most traded FTSE 100 stock, AstraZeneca,” said Interactive’s head of investment Rebecca O’Keeffe.
AstraZeneca was still in the top five despite a disappointing month, when its shares dipped amid rumours that chief executive Pascal Soriot was about to head off.
The share price then took a second battering as the results of a supposed cancer drug proved less than exciting.
If you like it then you’d better put your name on it
Most traded funds
Fundsmith Equity
Woodford Equity Income
Lindsell Train Global Equity
Vanguard LifeStrategy 80 per cent Equity
Jupiter India
Fundsmith, Woodford Equity and Lindsell Train retained the top spot yet again. “Although the march to passive funds appears somewhat relentless, investors are still expressing a preference for good actively managed funds which can deliver outperformance,” said O’Keeffe.
Fundsmith has retained the top spot every month since January 2016. “Star fund manager, Neil Woodford, has to settle for second spot yet again, with the Woodford Equity income fund returning just under six per cent for its investors over the past year,” she added.
“Its biggest stock holding, Astrazeneca, suffered during July, dropping sharply after one of its major drug prospects didn’t meet expectations, which hasn’t helped performance for the fund.”
Oil’s a winner
Most traded Aim shares
UK Oil & Gas
Sirius Minerals
Sound Energy
88 Energy
IQE
“Commodities have enjoyed a recovery in prices in July, with stronger Chinese demand supporting industrial metals, while oil prices have pushed back above $50 per barrel,” said O’Keeffe.
UK Oil & Gas’s share price more than doubled in June and doubled again in July as the firm announced a slew of good news regarding the Broadford Bridge well in West Sussex. Trading volumes in the share were higher than the top five FTSE 100 stocks combined.
Tech’s the word
Most traded international shares
Tesla Motors
Amazon
Apple
Micro Devices
Although it came too late for July, Apple’s strong results released yesterday will no doubt give the firm another boost.
“Technology stocks were also on the rise, with the Nasdaq up over three per cent in July and nearly 18 per cent year to date. The very lofty levels of some technology stocks are making some commentators start to sound alarm bells, but while investor money continues to pour into the sector, setbacks are still seen by many as buying opportunities,” said O’Keeffe.