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 "superstrong since the start of the year", as investors look 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.

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.

(c) 2024 City A.M., source Newspaper