Copenhagen Stock Exchange: Handsome Price Rises In April

In April, the KFX Index gained a little over 10 per cent, which is the 5th largest month-to-month increase since the introduction of the KFX Index. To the shareholders the price rises mean that the value of the Danish equity market has grown by DKK 57.3 billion in April. In the first four months of the year, the KFX Index has gained some 3 per cent.

The April trading volume was influenced by fewer trading days and the slow activity during Easter week. The value of average daily trading amounted to DKK 1.3 billion - a fall of approx. 14 per cent compared with the month before. Share trading totalled DKK 24.8 billion, down 21.8 per cent on March. If you look at the number of trades per day the fall is just under 3 per cent.

The most actively traded share of the month was Novo Nordisk with a turnover of DKK 4.6 billion, followed by Danske Bank and TDC with DKK 3.3 billion and DKK 2.3 billion, respectively.

On 1 April, the Exchange launched two new segments, MidCap+ and SmallCap+, consequently, the monthly statistics now include information about the index performance and turnover in the new plus segments. MidCap+ and SmallCap+ had a successful launch with a rise of 50 and 100 per cent, respectively, in turnover compared with March. However, it is still too early to say anything about the effect on the turnover. Index values are also calculated for the new segments MidCap+ and SmallCap+, and like the KFX Index, they also went up in April by 7.3 and 9.3 per cent, respectively. The year-to-date increases in the plus segments total 7.4 per cent and 12.3 per cent.

In April, turnover in the listed investment certificates rose by 25 per cent compared with March to DKK 1.9 billion, however, it is 16.3 per cent lower than the corresponding month last year.

There is still bustling activity on the XtraMarked for non-listed investment certificates. In April, turnover came to DKK 2.7 billion in market value, a 5 per cent fall compared with March.

Activity on the FUTOP market was on a par with March 2003 with an average daily trading volume of 3,600 contracts. The total trading volume amounted to 68,408 contracts, distributed on 57,328 on the KFX Index and 11,080 on single shares. Compared with April 2002, turnover in futures has risen by 61 per cent and turnover in

In April, bond trading totalled DKK 445.1 billion in market value, which corresponds to a daily turnover amounting to DKK 23.4 billion. This is a 21 per cent rise on the corresponding month last year. If you compare 2003 with 2002 total bond trading has increased by 41 per cent. The advance may be attributed to increased activity in the mortgage credit market compared with the corresponding period last year.

For further statistics on the stock market, please visit the Exchange web site, www.cse.dk