Bursa Malaysia and CIMB Group will be conducting a series of joint futures investment seminars with the collective aim of expanding the current level of activity as well as increasing interest in retailers and Futures Brokers Representatives (FBR) in the derivatives market. The first seminar will be held at the Securities Commission on 24th March 2007. These seminars will be conducted in several states nationwide including Penang, Perak, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.
"Bursa Malaysia aims to grow its derivatives market by 40% in 2007," said Bursa Malaysia Berhad Chief Executive Officer, Yusli Mohamed Yusoff.
"To that end, we have instituted changes that are aimed at making the market more attractive to both investors and intermediaries. We recently reduced transaction fees and revised our FCPO contract specifications in order to accelerate market growth. We are also looking at launching futures on the FTSE Bursa Malaysia 30 Index (FBM30), which would enable investors to hedge and gain direct exposure to a pool of liquid and free float adjusted stocks. Towards 3Q of this year, we will be launching our 'Derivatives Direct Market Access' which will provide for easy and direct accessibility to the market," he continued.
Bursa Malaysia and CIMB Group collectively believe that education is one of the crucial ways in stimulating interest in the derivatives market. The investment seminars that are targeted at retail investors, aim to develop further awareness and interest in futures products. The seminars will unveil simple and effective time tested strategies for Stocks and Derivatives. Investors will also learn to trade, develop a trading edge and set entry/exit points.
"We believe participants will benefit greatly from these series of workshops, and at the same time have fun learning up on financial futures, which we think have the potential to become a mainstream investment instrument for many investors in time to come. At the seminars, investors can learn how to use futures to hedge, arbitrage or speculate in line with their investment objectives," said CIMB Group's Director Dato' Robert Cheim.
The seminars will be free of charge, and will be conducted by investment professionals from CIMB Group who are specialists in futures instruments. This is an extension of CIMB's Retail Investment Workshops which have been held Kuala Lumpur once a quarter since 2004.
