US Forex Broker FXCM reported its key metrics for the month of March. A rise of 27% was seen in institutional volume from February, while a dip of 2% in retail trading volume was reported.
The number of tradeable retail accounts rose quite marginally and fell by 12% in the institutional sector. The year over year numbers are undoubtedly great.
Q4 2011 numbers are available here. Here are more details, from the official press release:
NEW YORK, NY, April 16, 2012 – FXCM Inc. (NYSE: FXCM) today announced certain key operating metrics for March 2012 for its retail and institutional foreign exchange business. Monthly activities included:
March 2012
Retail Trading Metrics
· Retail customer trading volume(1) of $340 billion in March 2012, 2% lower than February 2012 and 8% higher than March 2011. Volume from indirect sources was 46% of total retail volume(1) in the first quarter 2012. Retail customer trading volume(1)for the first quarter 2012 was $985 billion, 1% higher than the fourth quarter 2011, and 20% higher than the first quarter 2011.
· Average retail customer trading volume(1) per day of $15.5 billion in March 2012, 6% lower than February 2012 and 13% higher than March 2011.
· An average of 394,679 retail client trades per day in March 2012, 1% lower than February 2012 and 22% higher than March 2011.
· Tradeable accounts(2) of 200,132 as of March 31, 2012, an increase of 2,366, or 1% from February 2012, and an increase of 58,419,or 41%, from March 2011.
Institutional Trading Metrics
· Institutional customer trading volume(1) of $161 billion in March 2012, 27% higher than February 2012 and 105% higher than March 2011. Institutional customer trading volume(1) for the first quarter 2012 was $398 billion, 7% lower than the fourth quarter 2011 and 82% higher than the first quarter 2011.
· Average institutional trading volume(1) per day of $7.3 billion in March 2012, 21% higher than February 2012 and 115% higher than March 2011.
· An average of 26,060 institutional client trades per day in March 2012, 12% lower than February 2012 and 278% higher than March 2011.