Barclays is to launch a US electronic trading service that combines once-distinct elements of electronic and sales trading in Europe, in a sign of the efforts being undertaken by brokers to help clients complete equity orders amid a low volume environment.

The new tool, called Capital Commitment, allows Barclays' buyside clients to let the bank partially fill or commit its own capital against certain electronic orders. Barclays did not disclose the extent to which they would fill client orders, but the level of facilitation would be agreed with clients in advance.