Five Asean Exchanges To Begin Electronic Trading

By D. Arul Rajoo, Bernama, February 23, 2009 19:28 PM 

BANGKOK, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- Malaysian investors can purchase directly trade stocks listed in Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia once the proposed Asian trading board starts operation next year. 

Bursa Malaysia Bhd's chief executive officer, Datuk Yusli Mohamed Yusoff, said the multilateral trading gateways was a result of more than one year of groundwork by a working group comprising all the five stock exchanges whose bourse capitalisation size was estimated to be more than US$1 trillion. 

Yusli said the Asean stock exchange was primarily an electronic linkages that would allow investors from other Asean countries to buy or sell Asean-listed securities through their local brokers. 

"Forging closer cooperation among regional exchanges is crucial for us to remain globally relevant. This will encourage greater intra-Asean trading and an integrated Asean capital market will raise the profile of this region's securities to the global investment community," he said. 

Yusri was speaking after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the five exchanges which was witnessed by Thai Finance Minister, Korn Chatikavani, here Monday. 

Bursa Malaysia, Indonesia Stock Exchange, Philippine Stock Exchange Inc, Singapore Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) signed the MOU to form an Asean electronic trading link to enhance the competitiveness of their capital markets. 

Yusri said the e-trading link, through one single access point, allows intra-Asean cross border trading and would attract more international funds into Asean. 

"The next step after signing of the MOU is to work with technology partner to see how the tradings can be done. Eventually, an investor can invest in another country's exchange without having to call broker in that country," he said. 

According to him, this was the first time such linkages among separate owners are being introduced in the region, adding that similar and much more advanced concept exist in Europe but involves common ownerships. 

Earlier this month, Nongram Wongwanich, chief operation officer of SET, had said the collaboration would start with first bilateral stock trading either between SET and SGX or SET and the Bursa Malaysia as these three stock markets have the most readiness in terms of system. 

She had said that the second bilateral stock trading would start three months after the first one. 

In his speech, Korn said a stronger, integrated and more competitive Asean was necessary to respond to the changing global landscape. 

"Offering a single platform is a starting point to achieve our 2015 vision of a more integrated Asean capital market with harmonised rules, regulations and practices", he said.