The latest data from a leading investment platform reveals UK investors bought shares in Vodafone, GlaxoSmithKline and BT Group last week.
So, what other shares were popular with UK investors? And which shares were investors selling? Let’s explore.
What shares have UK investors been buying recently?
According to data from Hargreaves Lansdown, Vodafone shares were the most popular to buy last week, with the telecommunications company accounting for 4.81% of all stocks traded.
Meanwhile, buys in GlaxoSmithKline accounted for 4.3% of the total last week, while Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust purchases accounted for 4.15%.
Here is the top ten list in full (based on the number of deals placed):
- Vodafone Group plc
- GlaxoSmithKline plc
- Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust
- National Grid
- BT Group plc
- Royal Mail plc
- F&C Investment Trust plc
- British American Tobacco
- Lloyds Banking Group
- BP plc
Most bought shares: key takeaways
At the beginning of last week, Vodafone shares were valued at 137.4p, rising to 138.9p by Friday. While this was a modest rise, Vodafone shares have performed very well since the turn of the year. They’ve risen from 115.32p in January to almost 140p by mid-February.
With Vodafone topping last week’s list, it’s clear to see that many investors believe the company can continue its strong performance throughout 2022.
Meanwhile, the appearance of Lloyds Banking Group on the list of most-bought shares would indicate that many investors are confident the banking giant will bounce back following a recent slump in its share price value. Over the past month, Lloyds shares are down over 6%.
On a similar note, the BT Group share price has performed poorly over the past month. Therefore, we can assume its inclusion on last week’s list as an indicator that many investors consider the company’s current share price to be undervalued.
What shares have UK investors been selling recently?
Alongside a list of the most bought shares, Hargreaves Lansdown also revealed the most popular shares to sell. International Consolidated Airlines Group topped the list, with share sales accounting for 2.25% of last week’s total.
Here is the top 10 list in full:
- International Consolidated Airlines Group SA
- BP plc
- easyJet plc
- Vodafone Group plc
- Lloyds Banking Group plc
- Shell plc
- Premier African Minerals Limited
- Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust plc
- Rolls Royce Holdings plc
- BT Group plc
Most sold shares: key takeaways
International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), which owns British Airways, Iberia and other airlines, was the most popular share to sell last week among Hargreaves Lansdown’s UK-based clients. The airline group’s share price rose from 161.1p to 174.64p last week, though its price has since fallen to 165.95p.
The final quarter of 2021 proved a very difficult year for IAG’s share price, so investors will hope the company will fare much better for the duration of 2022.
Meanwhile, easyJet was the third most popular share to sell last week. The airline’s share price is up very slightly compared to a year ago, and it now stands at 683.4p. Despite this, it’s a long way off its pre-pandemic share price, which topped 1,270p back in February 2020.
Shell plc was the sixth most popular share to sell last week. The oil and gas multinational’s share price has risen from 1,700p to 1,971p since the turn of the year. Despite this, its price took a tumble towards the end of January. As a result, it appears some investors have arrived at the conclusion that its share price surge has peaked.
What can we learn from this data?
When investors flock to buy a particular share following a slump, it usually signals that investors believe a share to be undervalued. On the flip side, when investors look to offload stock in big numbers, it gives the impression that the share price in question is overvalued, and may potentially plummet.
Despite this, it’s important to remember that this data shouldn’t be used to make any investing decisions. That’s simply because past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
If you like to pick and choose your own stocks, it’s far better to do your own research and act accordingly. As with any investing, always remember that the value of your investments can fall as well as rise.
If you are looking to invest, then take a look at our list of top-rated share dealing accounts.
If you’re a newbie investor, then it’s a good idea to read our investing basics first. Our list of top-rated share dealing platforms for beginners may also come in handy.
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About the author
Karl is a writer specialising in investing and personal finance content. He regularly contributes articles on savings, bank accounts, mortgages, and loans. He was previously a Personal Finance Writer for MoneySavingExpert.
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