Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) shares were the most traded of any in 2022 on the investment platform Stake.
65% of those transactions saw investors buying Core Lithium shares, while 35% sold.
As we know now, investors who bought the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lithium stock at the beginning of the year won't be complaining. Although they have endured plenty of volatility along the way, the Core Lithium share price closed the year up 73%.
The top-traded findings come from Stake's Stockest 100, showing last year's most traded ASX shares and exchange traded funds (ETFs). The data is based on more than one million ASX trades completed on the platform in 2022.
So, we know Core Lithium shares led the charge. Can you guess the other top-traded stocks?
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Following close on the heels of Core Lithium shares…
We won't leave you hanging.
The second most traded stock last year, following Core Lithium shares, was the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS).
The popular ETF tracks the performance of the largest 300 ASX companies by market cap. So it's not surprising that VAS closed the calendar year down 8.5% as companies struggled with rising costs and investors mulled over the impact of higher interest rates.
Still, 91% of investors on Stake bought VAS in 2022, while only 9% sold the ETF.
Coming in at number three was lithium producer Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS), which owns the Pilgangoora Lithium Project in Western Australia.
53% of those trades saw investors buying Pilbara shares, while 47% sold. That came as the Pilbara share price struggled amid falling lithium prices in the latter half of the year. Despite the retrace, Pilbara shares gained 17% in 2022.
Which brings us to Lake Resources NL (ASX: LKE), the fourth most popular traded share.
The ASX lithium exploration and development company faced some headwinds in 2022, with the abrupt mid-year departure of its CEO. Questions were also raised about the viability of its direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology.
All up, Lake Resources closed 2022 down 21%. 61% of investors on Stake sold shares over the year while 39% bought them.
Rounding off the list at number five is mining giant BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), with 75% buying BHP shares and 25% selling them in 2022.
On the back of strong iron ore and copper prices for much of the year, BHP delivered some outsized dividend payments while the share price gained 10% over the 12 months.
ASX investors held their nerve and predominantly kept buying
Commenting on the results, Stake markets analyst Megan Stals noted that despite the tough trading conditions of 2022 amid rocketing interest rates, "investors didn't panic and continued to add to their positions, with 68% of trading activity consisting of buy orders".
On Core Lithium shares leading the pack, Stals said:
Lithium was by far the most popular segment overall in 2022, as the metal saw record high prices. Core Lithium was the most popular company on Stake, seeing 78% returns for the year. That said, it wasn't an easy ride for shareholders, with the stock experiencing large peaks and troughs throughout the year.
As for the number two traded stock, the Vanguard Australian Shares ETF, Stals noted, "It was the most popular by far, showing how Australians are optimistic about the long-term prospects of the local economy."
With 10 investors buying VAS for every one selling despite the index-tracking ETF slipping during the year, Stals said this demonstrated "investors are committed to long-term returns".
