Nomura continues its western push

JAPANESE bank Nomura has become the London Stock Exchange’s (LSE) third-largest broker, thanks to its acquisition of bankrupt Lehman Brother’s European trading business.

Nomura revealed its position as it laid out its intentions to top the table by the end of the year. A spokesperson for the LSE confirmed that Nomura has been growing its trading volumes on the exchange significantly, but declined to give details or comparisons with other banks.

Nomura scooped up Lehman’s equities business – which provided the most orders on the LSE’s books at the time – after the American bank collapsed at the end of 2008.

Now Japan’s biggest investment bank has its sights set on growing its share whilst creating a new culture, which will include moving its London headquarters out of Canary Wharf and into the City.

On Monday, the bank signed a deal that will see its 3,600 London staff, including 2,000 former Lehman employees, move to Watermark Palace, a new riverside complex.