Nearly 8 in 10 (78%) of financial advisers have seen an increase in the level of trading in stocks and shares by their clients over the past two years, according to a new report.

Just 3% of wealth managers and IFAs surveyed by ETP provider GraniteShares had seen a decrease in the level of shares traded by clients.

The majority (87%) of the 100 advisers surveyed expect to see an increase in the level of trading by their clients in the next quarter, with 27% saying they expect a dramatic increase due to increased stock market volatility.

All of the advisers surveyed said they expect to see a rising in the level of clients trading in stocks and shares, with 68% expecting to see a 25% to 50% increase in the level of trading by their clients. One in five (20%) anticipate a 10% to 25% boost in activity and 11% say trading will soar by between 50% and 75%.

Will Rhind, CEO of GraniteShares, said: “Share trading is becoming increasingly attractive given the strong performances of markets around the world in general and the surge in many individual stocks, that offered huge opportunities to investors and traders.

“The switch to more trading by the clients of wealth managers and IFAs highlights that investors are taking a more active approach to managing their wealth.”

According to the report, copy trading is on the increase with more than two-thirds of advisers surveyed saying between 5% and 10% of their clients do so. Copy trading is a portfolio management strategy that allows traders to copy the positions taken by another trader directly.

• PureProfile surveyed 100 UK-based wealth managers and IFAs online on behalf of GraniteShares in August.