US equity trading hits year high

US equity trading volumes reached their highest volumes so far this year, although the market share of trading venues remained relatively unchanged month-to-month.

Total US trading in May was US$4.72 trillion, 13.8% higher than April’s total of US$4.14 trillion but marginally lower than May 2011’s total of US$4.74 trillion, according to figures from Thomson Reuters Equity Market Share reporter.

Trading reported to the alternative display facility, a reporting channel that contains trades conducted on electronic communications networks, dark pools and OTC trading, reached US$1.23 trillion (26.1% of total volumes) in May, slightly lower than April’s US$1.11 trillion (26.9% market share).

The trading venue with the biggest gain was Direct Edge, which traded 9.7% of US equity volumes across its EDGX and EDGA last month, compared to 9.1% in April.

Nasdaq OMX, which has been plagued by technical issues relating to the IPO of Facebook, lost 0.7% market share, ending May on 19.5%, while its main rival NYSE Euronext grew by 0.1% month-on-month to 26.6%. Third largest exchange BATS – which also operates two separate order books – recorded a market share of 12.8% in May, up from 12.4% in April.