Record-breaking day for customer trades after Pfizer vaccine news

interactive investor names the top 10 most-traded shares.

interactive investor, the UK second largest direct-to-consumer investment platform, experienced its busiest day for customer trades on record yesterday after news of Pfizer's (NYSE:PFE) Covid vaccine breakthrough sent markets into a frenzy.

While Novacyt (LSE:NCYT), which lost almost half its value following the news, was the most bought share on 9 November 2020, it ranks third on the most traded shares list behind Rolls-Royce (LSE:RR.) in first position and BA owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (LSE:IAG) in second place.

US pharmaceutical company Pfizer, the source of yesterday’s stock market mania, missed out on a top ten spot on the most traded shares list, ranking 13th. 95% of trades in the stock were buys and 5% were sells. It was the most traded US share yesterday while BioNTech (NASDAQ:BNTX), which partnered with Pfizer to develop the vaccine, ranks in sixth place.

It is worth mentioning that the US market opens later (2:30pm GMT) than the UK market (8am GMT). 

Overall, the buy to sell ratios were even, with 50% buys and 50% sells.

Richard Hunter, Head of Markets, interactive investor, says: “An extremely buoyant and positive market session, which saw interactive investor break its previous trading records, was enough to tempt ii customers into profit taking.

“In particular, previously beaten down stocks such as Rolls-Royce and International Consolidated Airlines were the most popularly traded and were mostly sales, as customers capitalised on sharp share price spikes.

“By the same token, shares which underperformed on the day attracted some buying interest. Shares in Boohoo (LSE:BOO) dropped on Monday, with ii customers mainly buying in at the lower price. One of the most popular stocks in the year to date has been Novacyt, the company that supplies Covid tests to the NHS among others, which saw its share price decline by a third following the Pfizer announcement. This in turn prompted a bout of buying by customers at the lower level.”

Myron Jobson, Personal Finance Campaigner, interactive investor, says: “News of a vaccine breakthrough brought a relief rally to the market, which hopes it spells the beginning of the end of this ghastly pandemic. But we’re not out of the woods yet, and the road to recovery could be bumpy.

“While market volatility could present an opportunity to profit over the short-term, long-term investors must think in terms of years or decades. A well-diversified portfolio should help you successfully navigate economic uncertainty and market volatility and give the best possible chance of generating a positive outcome whatever the market throws at us.”

Most traded shares on interactive investor on 9 November 2020