Nvidia ranked second most popular stock by UK retail investors – but who came top?

Lloyds Bank topped the list of most popular buys among UK retail investors this month, according to new Hargreaves Lansdown data, as consumers looked for stability in the market.

Throughout January, investors looked to the bank as a bellweather for the UK economy, according to Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown.

Lloyds was closely followed by Nvidia, as other AI beneficiaries such as Microsoft and AMD came in at number five and nine respectively.

Streeter said the ‘FOMO’, or fear of missing out, effect, had been “super-strong since the start of the year”, as investors are eager to cash in on the firms benefiting from the AI investment wave.

Uranium investment company Yellow Cake was another key winner of the month, coming in eighth, as the price of uranium has surged over the last year.

Consumers believe the AIM-listed firm, which holds about 20 per cent of the global supply of uranium, is set to benefit as countries pivot towards embracing nuclear energy while uranium mines have suffered years of under investment.

Commodity trading giant Glencore came in third place, despite the short-term headwinds in the sector, as investors saw potential for the firm to benefit from the number of metals and minerals needed in the ongoing green energy transition.

“Headline numbers have pointed to a significant drop in profits over the first half for the company, as broad commodity prices have come back down to earth following a surge in 2022,” said Streeter. “But, longer-term, there’s still plenty of scope for healthy profits.”

Other top ten buys included JD Sports, after the stock dropped 25 per cent this month, leading to investors to pick up the retailer at a bargain price, and BAE Systems, which has been a popular purchase since tensions have risen in the Middle East.

Finally, insurer Phoenix Group, which is offering a nine per cent dividend, and oil giant BP, which has been boosted by higher oil prices, came in towards the bottom end of the top ten list.