Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) exchanges will be linked together by a new ASEAN trading link as early as June 2012.
The first stage of the project will see the Singapore Exchange and Bursa Malaysia connected in June. The Stock Exchange of Thailand will be added in August 2012, after its new trading engine goes live.
“The three bourses that will participate in the first stage of the ASEAN trading link represent approximately 70% of the market capitalisation of the seven-member collaboration, thus offering substantial investment opportunities for investors,” said Tajuddin Atan of Bursa Malaysia.
Details for the addition of the other ASEAN exchanges, including Vietnam’s Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh stock exchanges, the Indonesia Stock Exchange and the Philippines Stock Exchange, will be announced at a future date.
ASEAN aims to bring more investment opportunities to its members and increase liquidity in southeast Asian financial instruments through cross-border collaboration and regional initiatives.
The seven ASEAN exchanges, located in six countries, have a combined market capitalisation of US$2 trillion and more than 3,600 companies listed on their exchanges.