Stock Market

Angus Rigby, Chief Executive Officer, TD Waterhouse comments: "The new year has opened with balanced trading activity, with buys representing 47% and sells 53% of our customers' top trades this week.

Colin McLean, Managing Director, SVM Asset Management: The Madoff investment scandal and recent stock market problems offer lessons for all investors.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is proposing to extend its temporary disclosure regime for significant net short positions in the stocks of UK financial sector companies until 30 June 2009.

Angus Rigby, Chief Executive Officer, TD Waterhouse comments: "What a difference a year makes! A frenzied year for the global markets has resulted in an equally frenzied year of trading activity by TD Waterhouse customers.

As the stock market remains volatile and retailers face the worst Christmas for thirty years, investors could be finding it harder to spot shares that offer value.

Henk Potts, Equity Strategist at Barclays Stockbrokers said: Our best estimate is that the FTSE 100 will be around the 4700 level by the end of next year. In terms of price rises, this suggests around 11% upside from today's levels.

Dr Stephen Barber, Head of Research at Selftrade, an independent online broker comments: “An Obama bounce is a near certainty as the New Year gets underway and the new President takes office but an early, sustained recovery is probably too much to hope for.

One in 10 people (11%) have not been put off investing during the credit crunch, according to a new study by Fool.co.uk. They will capitalise on cuts in interest rates by ploughing more money into the stock market.

For confident investors seeking opportunities in current market conditions, Barclays Stockbrokers has launched the FTSE 100 Accelerated Return Investment Note Issue 2.

Financial education charity the ifs School of Finance confirmed that almost 40,000 teenagers are participating in their ifs Student Investor - a free competition where teams of four 14-19 year olds have a fantasy £100,000 to invest over a four month period.

One in four Brits (26 per cent) are considering giving a stock market investment as a Christmas gift, according to new research from Lloyds TSB Wealth Management.

Trading EUR/GBP accounts for 14 per cent of trades on Barclays Stockbrokers Spot FX platform for December to date.

The results of the 2008 TD Waterhouse Investor Confidence Index show that overall, just over four fifths (86%) of investors surveyed continue to hold shares in either UK or international companies, despite a year of economic and market turbulence.

This Friday (12 December) shareholders of Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) will vote on the proposed takeover by Lloyds TSB.

Selftrade, a leading online broker, is introducing a credit crunch busting prize during the run up to Christmas –lucky Britons who sign up to its Regular Investment Service could be in with a chance to have their monthly investment matched by Selftrade up to £100 per month for the whole of 2009 - starting the New Year with a bang!

Angus Rigby, Chief Executive Officer, TD Waterhouse comments: "Overall, trading has remained steady and there is only a 9% difference between our top ten trades this week, with sells marginally outweighing the buys. We also have a first time entry to our top ten buys as Stagecoach Group face a relegation struggle only three months after being promoted to the FTSE 100.

Retail stockbroker, The Share Centre, scooped the award for Best Online Sharedealing provider 2008 at the Online Finance 2008 Awards ceremony, held at the Millennium Hotel, Mayfair.

Investors are increasingly trading on CFD platforms, according to recent research from Barclays Stockbrokers. One in seven online investors say they trade in CFDs (up five per cent to 14 per cent from the same time last year) and Barclays Stockbrokers has seen a 30 per cent increase in trading on its CFD platform over the past year.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has warned about 11,000 UK shareholders that their personal details are on a database shared by fraudsters, which can be used to target people and illegally sell them shares.

Following the Monetary Policy Committee's (MPC) decision to cut interest rates to three per cent, research from Barclays Stockbrokers reveals nearly half (47 per cent) of investors believe this will encourage equity investment, with equities now presenting better value.

Angus Rigby, Chief Executive Officer, TD Waterhouse comments: "One of the biggest deals in corporate history became the latest victim of the global slowdown this week with BHP Billiton walking away from a £38 billion offer for its rival Rio Tinto.

Angus Rigby, Chief Executive Officer, TD Waterhouse comments: "In this time of financial uncertainty heavy trading continues apace as our customers try to second guess the unpredictable markets.

Hitesh Thakrar, manager of New Star Global Equity Fund: Profits are in decline, house prices are tumbling and the 0.5% decline in the UK economy in the third quarter means to all intents and purposes that the UK is in recession. If times are getting tougher for businesses, surely the stock market is better avoided?

Retail stockbroker, The Share Centre, scooped the award for Best Execution-only Broker Tuesday night at Shares Magazine's 2008 Awards ceremony, held at Grosvenor House Hotel.

Angus Rigby, Chief Executive Officer, TD Waterhouse comments: "Our customers continued to trade heavily this week with a strong focus on UK housebuilder, Taylor Wimpey, whose tales of woe have showed no sign of improving, despite a glimmer of hope from the Bank of England when it cut rates back to 3%.