TD customers excited by energy
Stuart Welch, CEO, TD Direct Investing comments: "TD customers focused on energy stocks this week with the highest new entry in both our most popular buys and sells tables coming from the sector. Tesco (TSCO) remained top of the buys table for the second week running however, while Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) returned to the top of the sells. Meanwhile, TD customers bought and sold at a ratio of 1:1 as the FTSE 100 finished the week ending Tuesday, 24 January, up nearly 60 points, closing the period at 5,751.9.
"Leed Petroleum (LDP) was this week's highest new entrant to the buys table and was also the 10th most popular sell among our customers. The oil and gas explorer saw its share price fluctuate this week - increasing from 0.38p at market close on Wednesday (18 January) to 0.55p at market close on Friday (20 January), before dropping by nearly 16% on Tuesday (24 January) - as natural resource investment firm Viridas announced it had sold its stake in the company.
"Essar Energy (ESSR) was the next highest new entrant into the buys at number seven this week following a court ruling against the company's India focused oil refiner, which means Essar Oil, in which Essar Energy has an 87% stake, can no longer defer the payment of sales tax. TD customers appeared to take advantage of the company's falling share price, which lost over 27% on the announcement on Tuesday (17 January), but later recovered to close out the week ending Tuesday, 24 January at 137.10p.
"Staying with energy, Xcite Energy (XEL) was this week's highest new entry at eighth in the sells, and it moved up four places to sixth in the buys, as speculation around the expected approval of Xcite's Bentley field development by the Department of Energy and Climate Change continued.
"Premier foods (PFD) was the third new entrant to this week's buys table, proving 10th most popular with our customers, after it announced plans on 17 January to cut 600 jobs, whilst warning of weaker profits. Despite the news, its share price increased from 6.35p market open on Wednesday (18 January) to 8.93p at market close on Tuesday (24 January).
"Elsewhere, Lloyds replaced Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) at the top of this week's sells table, as RBS fell to third behind second placed Barclays (BARC). Meanwhile, both Lloyds and RBS gained two places in the buys table, finishing the week at second and third respectively. Barclays however, dropped to ninth place from last week's eighth, accounting for less than half the number of buy trades compared to its banking counterparts."