Mondo Visione Worldwide Financial Markets Intelligence

FTSE Mondo Visione Exchanges Index:

ETFs Trading Started On The Korea Stock Exchange

Date 25/10/2002

The Korea Stock Exchange (KSE) launched its ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) market on October 14, 2002, where four(4) ETFs, KODEX200 and KOSEF tracking the KOSPI 200 and KODEX50 and KOSEF50 tracking the KOSPI 50, are being traded.

During the first 10 trading days, trading volume was more than expected, especially in broad-based products such as KODEX200 and KOSEF of which average daily trading volume has reached 2.2 mil. shares and 1.0 mil. shares, respectively.

It seems that the active trading results from both low trading cost caused by no stamp duty and the convenience of real-time trading of funds, hence allowing intra-day trading. Other notable advantages of the ETFs are the removal of foreign ownership limitations and the absence of up-tick rule on short-selling.