Buy-side block trading market and crossing network Liquidnet's European business has reported a 42% increase in trading volume from Q3 to Q4 2010. It set a new record for the largest single execution with a single trade totalling €133 million (US$180 million) in principal, and saw a 57% growth in its program trading and algorithmic business from Q3 to Q4 2010.
Average daily liquidity in the US also saw an increase of 11% to 1.75 billion shares in Q4 2010, tentatively indicating a return of inflows into the equity markets after a period of outflows in Q3.
The firm’s Asia Pacific operation also reported a 37% increase in trading volumes, with over US$14 billion in principal traded.
Liquidnet launched equities trading in Slovenia, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Israel and Malaysia in 2010, extending its reach to 38 global markets, covering 100% of the MSCI World Index.
Total volume traded on Liquidnet globally for the year was 29.7 billion shares or US$439 billion principal.
Liquidnet signed an agreement with SIX Swiss Exchange to allow members to execute large block trades with each other in Swiss and other European equities, in January 2011.