Six Swiss Exchange has become the first large European stock market to report its 2009 trading figures, detailing a substantial drop-off in trading activity; its equities business being hit the hardest.

The fifth largest exchange group in Europe, Six Swiss Exchange, said today that its equity trading unit, the main revenue generating business that covers the trading of single name stocks and funds of shares, was down 46.6% last year compared to 2008 by value, and down 23.5% by volumes of trades.