Berenberg has set out ambitious expansion plans in Europe and beyond in its full-year results for 2017, as it eyes growth sparked from new EU trading rules in particular.

The introduction last month of the European Union's updated trading rulebook — the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive — has led to a more than 30% increase in equities trading volumes at the bank, said David Mortlock, global head of investment banking and head of the UK London office at Berenberg. In an interview with Financial News this morning, Mortlock described this as a "strong start" to 2018.