The Hanoi Securities Trading Centre (HaSTC) is targeting to put into operation a remote trading system, turning from floor-trading model to non-floor trading model which will directly connect with securities companies, to better the market’s requirements and increase the efficiency of trading activities.

This is one of the targets for 2007 set by HaSTC and announced by its Director Tran Van Dung at a meeting to review the centre’s activities in 2006 organised in Hanoi on February 2.

One of the key tasks of the centre is to ensure safe and efficient operation of this secondary market, said Mr Dung, adding that the centre would strengthen supervision to maintain a stable, open, fair and effective market.

Other targets included building a special bond market, establishing an over-the-counter market for unlisted shares, thus reducing risks for investors and increasing the market’s transparency.

In addition, HaSTC would also boost co-ordination with relevant ministries, agencies, sectors, corporations and localities to select businesses of quality to list their shares, thus, providing more “products” for the market.

HaSTC also finds it an important task to upgrade its current material facilities to ensure smooth operations of the market.

Since beginning operations in March 2005, HaSTC has developed strongly, especially in the later half of 2006, witnessing robust growth in transaction scale and value.

As of December 31, 2006, the total number of companies listed at the HaSTC had reached 87 with a total listed value of VND 11.2 trillion, up 7.4 times against those in late 2005 with only nine listed companies and total listed value of VND 1.5 trillion.

Total market capitalisation as of December 31, 2006 reached over VND 73 trillion, up 6.5 times against the total market listed value.

In 2006, 211 trading sessions were carried out at HaSTC in a safe and smooth manner. The average total value and volume for each trading session also increased sharply, especially in the lather months of the year.

In 2006, HaSTC also carried out successfully 40 auctions of shares, selling a total of nearly 214 million shares worth over VND 7.7 trillion (much higher than the total values according to both the face value and the initial price).

Along with that, the centre also well organised regular bids for bonds. In 2006, as many as 20 bids for bonds were organised.

In 2006, along with effective auctions of shares and bids of bonds, secondary trading activities at the HaSTC have been attracting increasing interests from enterprises and investors. These are significant premises for a sustainable development of the centre in the times to come.

Source: Nhan Dan