TORONTO - The number of shares traded on Canadian stock markets decreased last month by the most since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to statistics released by TMX Group Ltd., which operates the Toronto Stock Exchange and smaller platforms, the volume of stocks traded reached 14.4 billion in April, a 15.7 per cent drop from 17 billion in April 2020.

It was the biggest monthly decrease since January 2020, before the novel coronavirus became a problem in Canada and was later declared a global pandemic.

The number of transactions for the month plunged 28 per cent to 25.2 million from 35.2 million in the same month last year.

The value of transactions fell to $210.3 billion, from $216.9 billion.

It market the second straight month of decreases since the pandemic spawned a trading frenzy on North American stock markets.