(Reuters) – CMC Markets Plc reported a pickup in client activity for September, as inflation worries and China Evergrande’s debt crisis fueled market volatility.

After months of recovering, stocks have fallen globally in the last weeks due to rising inflation and concerns over China Evergrande, a property developer. The CBOE volatility index (or Wall Street’s fear gauge) has risen to a 4-month high.

Peter Cruddas (CMC Chief Executive Officer) stated that “we closed the first 6 months of 2021 with a pickup on market volatility, client trading volumes and following an environment which was more subdued from the beginning of the year.”

Plus500 Ltd, a rival to CMC (LON:) Ltd raised Monday its annual forecast. It said it had seen further positive momentum during the third quarter.

CMC maintained its annual profit outlook at 250m to 280m pounds (340m to $380m). It had reduced last month because of subdued volatility.

According to the report, active clients in the first half were slightly lower than year-ago.

The first-half operating expenses, which exclude variable pay, will be around 84 millions pounds. This is an increase from the reported 79 million pounds a year earlier.

($1 = 0.7363 pounds)