SET membership to enhance cross-border trading

Early this month, the Singapore Exchange (SGX) reported that trading and clearing activities picked up in the month of September as compared to August. Taking a closer look, daily average value increased 4% year on year but due to fewer trading days, the absolute trading volume actually slid 6% instead.

Last month, in a bid to benefit retail investors and brokers, the Asean Trading Link was launched. This was largely deemed as the first step towards creating a Southeast Asian platform, starting with the Singaporean and Malaysian stock exchanges being linked up on 18 Sept, thereby offering cross-border trading.

As a sign of progress, the stock exchange of Thailand (SET) became the third member to connect to the Asean Trading Link on Monday. Mr Charamporn Jotikasthira, the president of SET said that “together the three markets offer investors easier access to over 2200 listed companies with a market capitalisation of US$1.4 trillion, accounting for nearly 70% of the total market capitalisation of ASEAN”.

Following SET joining Asean Trading Link as its freshly minted member, SGX had gained 1.2% when compared to last Friday’s close. Over the same period, the STI climbed 0.17%.