It's not all gloomy for retail despite high street collapses

Stuart Welch, CEO, TD Direct Investing comments: "Retailers dominated the headlines again with January seeing more than one high street casualty. The most high profile in the week ending 14 January was HMV's (HMV) collapse into administration on Tuesday (15 January), putting over 4,500 jobs in jeopardy. Despite this, it wasn't all doom and gloom, as grocery retailers Tesco (TSCO) and J Sainsbury plc (SBRY) appeared in the TD Top Ten tables again this week, following positive respective Christmas sales announcements during the week to Monday 14 January. Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 continued its strong start to the year, closing 43.22 points higher than the previous week at 6,107.8 on Monday 14 January.

"Lloyds Banking Group plc (LLOY) once again took the top spot in both the buys and sells tables this week. The banking giant has been the most popular buy for TD clients for three weeks in a row now. There has been much speculation around an anticipated £4m bonus package for Lloyds' CEO, António Horta-Osório, despite news reports of an expected loss when the bank releases its 2012 financial results on 1 March. Lloyds shares finished the week ending Monday 14 January at 54.84p, having started the period at 50.252p.

"Finally, Centamin (CEY) landed second place in both the buys and sells tables after the previously troubled gold mining company surprised the markets by announcing that it exceeded production targets for 2012. The company's share price increased by more than 42% throughout the week, opening at 41p on Tuesday 8 January, before closing at 58.29p on Monday."

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For more information, visit tddirectinvesting.co.uk.