The Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) has reported a leap in trading by foreign investors in the first half of 2010 to 47% of overall trading value, an 11-percentage-point gain on the same period last year. Domestic institutions accounted for 33% of trading in Polish equities in the first six months of the year, with domestic individual investors responsible for the remaining 20%.
UK investors contributed the largest proportion of foreign orders at the WSE, with 60%, followed by France with 13%. Austrian institutions are the dominant foreign brokers in the options and futures markets, carrying out more trades at the WSE than on rival Austrian-based exchange Wiener Boerse, according to the WSE.
The WSE has been seeking for some time to establish itself as a leading regional stock exchange in central and eastern Europe (CEE). As well as attracting 19 international brokers as remote trading members and introducing a new framework for naked short selling, the WSE announced a strategic alliance with global exchange group NYSE Euronext earlier this year.
“The WSE has made good progress in 2010, despite the continuing uncertain global economic environment, with increased foreign investor activity and a number of important new issues confirming our position as CEE's leading capital market,” commented CEO Ludwik Sobolewski.