Trading in non-U.S. stocks at the New York Stock Exchange reached a record 215.4 million shares a day on average in January, up 32% from December’s 163.6 million shares, according to data released by the NYSE.

Canadian companies averaged 51.3 million shares a day, up 27% over December, it reported. Trading of NYSE-listed Asia-Pacific stocks averaged 39.2 million shares a day in January, up 41% from December. Latin American companies also averaged 39.2 million shares a day, up 39%.

European companies trumped Canadian firms averaging 57.3 million shares a day, up 34% over December. Other regions, including the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean , averaged 28.5 million shares a day, up 17% over December.

The worldwide market capitalization of NYSE-listed non-U.S. companies reached $8.4 trillion in January, as the average price of non-U.S. shares increased by 8% over year-end 2005.

The previous record volume for non-U.S. trading at the NYSE was 203.2 million shares a day, set in July 2002. Non-U.S. volume in January accounted for 11.5% of total NYSE volume, up from 10.5% in December. The dollar value of trading in non-U.S. stocks on the NYSE also reached a new record: $7.4 billion daily, up from $5.1 billion a day in December 2005.

“These record data reflect the continuing strong interest by U.S. equity investors to diversify their portfolios by trading and investing in non-US equities,” said NYSE president and co-COO Catherine Kinney.