Regional stock exchanges join forces.
SEE Link, a regional platform for trading of securities which has been founded by stock exchanges from Bulgaria, Macedonia and Croatia, has become fully operational, reports liderpress.hr on March 29, 2016.
SEE Link project has been launched with the aim of creating regional infrastructure for trading of securities listed on the three stock exchanges. In order to create the required legal framework, the three exchanges in 2014 established a joined company whose headquarters are in Skopje.
The news about the operational functionality of the platform, which is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), was announced at the annual conference of the Macedonian Stock Exchange in Skopje. The EBRD has provided support in the amount of 540,000 euros, intended for setting up the technical solution for the platform for forwarding trading orders, while each of the stock exchanges involved contributed to the project with 80,000 euros, intended for capital strengthening of the SEE Link project.
SEE Link will allow the integration of regional capital markets, with a total market capitalization of around 30 billion dollars and with almost 400 securities listed on the three stock exchanges. The goal is to have a positive impact on the liquidity and to enable easier and more efficient access for investors and local brokers.
Two "blue chip" regional indices called SEE LinX and SEE LinX EWI will be presented on 1 April and should further increase the attractiveness of the market. The indices will consist of the ten most often traded companies listed on the three regional stock exchanges: five from Croatia, three from Bulgaria and two from Macedonia.
It is expected that the platform will connect 22 members of the three stock exchanges, with the total of 387 different securities available for trading.
Stock exchanges in Belgrade and Ljubljana have joined SEE Link in mid-February this year by signing an association agreement during the EBRD's Western Balkans Investment Summit in London.
