By Jad Malaeb, Benzinga

On December 14th, the Federal Reserve hiked its key interest rate by 50 basis points. This was the first deceleration in rate hike increases in 2022; between March and November 2022, the interest rate had jumped 25 basis points, 50 basis points and then 75 points four times in a row in between each Federal Reserve meeting.

In a summary of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on January 4th, 2022, the committee indicated that “A number of participants emphasized that it would be important to clearly communicate that a slowing in the pace of rate increases was not an indication of any weakening of the Committee’s resolve to achieve its price-stability goal or a judgment that inflation was already on a persistent downward path.”

In the meantime, OTC Markets Group Inc.’s (OTCQX: OTCM) markets reported a decline in total monthly volume compared to last month, recording $32.1 billion in December compared to the $36.3 billion in November. The regulated markets, however, saw a jump in trading volume in the OTCQB Venture Market.

The OTCQX Best Market recorded $5.1 billion in trading volume in December, a slight decrease from the $6.7 billion in trading volume in November.

The top three companies on OTCQX’s Most-Active list experienced a slight reshuffle in December. Volume surged away from each of the top 3 contenders, but Roche Holding AG (OTCQX: RHHBY) claimed the top spot while crypto-centric securities Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (OTCQX: GBTC) and Grayscale Ethereum Trust (OTCQX: ETHE) slotted in at 2nd and 3rd place.

The remaining constituents in OTCQX’s top 10 Most-Active securities list experienced change in December, welcoming Green Thumb Industries Inc. (OTCQX: GTBIF), Trulieve Cannabis Corporation (OTCQX: TCNNF) and Heineken N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) in place of Deutsche Telekom AG (OTCQX: DTEGY), Computer Services Inc. and Zurich Insurance Group (OTCQX: ZURVY).

Computer Services was acquired and is no longer a publicly-listed company.

Other notable movers:

• Wal-Mart De Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. (OTCQX: WMMVY) claimed the 16th spot on OTCQX’s Most Active list, experiencing a 207% increase in trading volume.

The OTCQB Venture Market recorded $689.4 million in trading volume in December, a slight increase from the $652.4 million in trading volume in November.

Like the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market’s top 10 Most Active list for the month saw new entries. Specifically, CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) reappears in the top 10 Most Active list, bouncing back from its drop-off in November. Additionally, Renewable Innovations, Inc. (OTCQB: REII) (formerly NESTBUILDER.COM CORP. (OTCQB: NBLD)), a digital media and marketing services company, entered the top 10 Most Active list. The two displace Clean Vision Corporation (OTCQB: CLNV) and Atlas Lithium Corporation (NASDAQ: ATLX), both of which were on the list in November.

Other notable movers include

• American Lithium Corp. (OTCQB: LIACF), which climbed to 11th place on the Most Active list and recorded a $6.3 million rise in trading volume compared to last month.

• Applied Energetics Inc. (OTCQB: AERG), which climbed to 15th place on the Most Active list and recorded a $3.4 million rise in trading volume compared to last month.

• Provectus Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB: PVCT), which climbed to 28th place on the Most Active list and recorded a volume rise of $2.1 million compared to last month.

Below are the top 10 most actively traded securities on the OTCQX Best Market and OTCQB Venture Market in December.

OTCQX Top 10:

OTCQB Top 10:

This article was originally published on Benzinga here.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market and Pink® Open Market. Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets. OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

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