Hong Kong Stock Exchange

Although the trade of securities began in the middle of the 19th c., Hong Kong Stock Exchange was established at the end of the century. Today with its total securities market capitalization of a record sum of HK$ 8,260.3 billion (US$ 1,063.9 trillion), the HKSE ranks 8th place by market capitalization in the world.

The HKSE has 4338 stocks listed on the exchange with the market turnover of HK$4,520.4 billion (US$ 0,582.2 trillion) in 2005. The turnover increased by 14% from the previous year. Local institutional and retail investors are the main contributors of market turnover (56%). The exchange also has a leading derivatives market in the Asia-Pacific region with the daily turnover of 103.332 contracts per day that has increased by even 30% from 2004.

In 2000, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong Futures Exchange Limited together with Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited merged under a single exchange HKEx. HKEx listed its shares on the stock exchange in June 2000.

The trading system of the Exchange is an order-driven system. HKEx securities market operates on two trading platforms - the Main Board and the Growth Enterprise Market (GEM). Each trading platform has a different set of requirements. The Main Board is the market for capital growth by established companies that meet profit requirements. Meanwhile, the Growth Enterprise Market provides a fund raising venue for 'high growth, high risk' companies. It promotes the development of technology industries and venture capital investments.

In October 2000, HKEx developed a trading system AMS/3 consisting of four components - Trading Terminal, Multi-Workstation System ('MWS'), Broker Supplied System ('BSS'), and Order Routing System ('ORS') that investors can choose among. The ORS allows investors to place requests electronically. In addition to trading through terminals in the Trading Hall, exchange participants are enabled to trade from their offices through installed off-floor terminals.

The HKSE has the leading index the Hang Seng for shares traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that was introduced in 1969. The Hang Seng index consisting of the 33 largest companies traded on the exchange represent around 70% of the value of all stocks traded on the HKSE.