Barclays Capital has broken the stranglehold traditionally held by BNP Paribas and Société Générale in the French government securities market, claiming the top position as the most active primary dealer last year.

The UK investment bank is ranked first ahead of its French rivals, according to a league table of "Spécialistes en Valeurs du Trésor" provided by Agence France Trésor, for the first time since the French debt management agency started to publish rankings back in 1999.