FX trading volumes in April rise 18 pct year-on-year - Thomson Reuters

LONDON, May 8 (Reuters) - Currency trading on Thomson Reuters' platforms rose almost 18 percent in April from the same month a year earlier as the strong start to 2018 continued, although volumes were down slightly on March, the company said on Tuesday.

Average daily volumes in April reached $441 billion against $374 billion in April 2017, Thomson Reuters (Dusseldorf: TOC.DU - news) said in a statement.

The April volumes compared with $461 billion and $463 billion in March and February of this year respectively, the two best months on record for trading volumes.

Currency trading on Thomson Reuters' platforms, as well as on those of its competitors, has had a record start to the year as a rise in volatility from multi-year lows and a flurry of cross-border M&A deals drives more foreign exchange transactions.

Spot volumes came in at $95 billion each day on average during April, Thomson Reuters said.

Other transaction types - including forwards, swaps, options and non-deliverable forwards - averaged $346 billion.

Information provider Thomson Reuters is the parent company of Reuters News (Reporting by Tommy Wilkes; Editing by Mark Potter)