FXCM Sees December Retail Volumes Slingshot Higher After Lackluster Q4

FXCM (NYSE:FXCM) reported its trading metrics for the month ending December 2015, which orchestrated a sizable recovery in its retail volumes relative to the previous month, according to an FXCM statement.

During December 2015, FXCM’s monthly volumes came in at $323 billion, surging 8.4% MoM from $298 billion in November 2015 – however, the optimism surrounding its monthly performance was somewhat tempered by a YoY decline of -9.0% from December 2014.

In addition, FXCM’s volumes during December 2015 from indirect sources yielded 37% of total retail volume in Q4 2015. As such, retail customer trading volume for Q4 2015 was $956 billion, falling by -2.0% QoQ from Q3 2015, whilst incurring a -16% lower performance YoY from Q4 2014.

The ADV for retail customer trading also rose to $14.7 billion in June 2015, roughly 3.5% higher MoM from $14.2 billion in November 2015 and -14.0% lower YoY against December 2014. Finally, FXCM executed an average of 501,108 retail client trades per day in December 2015, good for a 3% boost MoM from November 2015, offset by -5.0% YoY from December 2014.

In other news, FXCM’s tradeable accounts came in at 177,847 as of December 31, 2015, which corresponded to a decrease of 2,058 accounts, or -1.0% MoM from November 2015. However, relative to its 2014 counterpart, FXCM picked up an additional 12,562 accounts in December 2015, up 8.0% YoY from December 2014.

Institutional Focus

In terms of FXCM’s institutional customer trading volume, December 2015 saw a total of $36 billion, or -12.0% lower MoM from November 2015, also shedding -51.0% YoY versus December 2014. Institutional ADV came in at $1.6 billion during the month ending December 2015, crashing -20.0% MoM from November 2015, as well as a sizable -54.0% collapse YoY from December 2014.

After the US market close Tuesday, FXCM (NYSE:FXCM) is sitting comfortable at $16.93, climbing 2.30% on the day - the stock currently is in the midst of an uptrend that rebounded off of a 52-week low back on December 11, 2015, which at the time was $5.26.