Companies have showed strong interest in seeking a listing on the Oslo market, and 15 companies were admitted to listing in the quarter while three companies were deleted from listing. For the first six months as a whole, 20 new companies have been admitted to listing and six have been deleted from listing.
The level of activity in the fixed income market was little changed from the previous quarter. 845 (836) bonds and other fixed-income instruments were listed at the close of the second quarter. The alternative marketplace for listing and trading bonds and other fixed-income instruments (ABM) was launched as planned on 6 June, and 7 issues have been listed in this market to date.
The level of activity in the derivatives market was somewhat lower than in the first quarter, but 25% more contracts were traded in the second quarter than in the same period last year. The number of end-users with access to market data from Oslo Børs was some 3% higher at the close of the quarter than at the end of the first quarter, and around 9% higher than at the same time last year.
Second quarter revenues totalled NOK 86.6 (64.7) million, bringing revenues for the year to date to NOK 165.6 (135.8) million. The increase in revenues came mainly from the equity markets area, where trading and new listings showed strong increases. In addition, revenues from sales of market data were 2% higher than in the first quarter.
Total operating expenses amounted to NOK 44.0 (42.3) million in the second quarter. Operating expenses for the year to date total NOK 86.1 (84.2) million. Oslo Børs expects that its total operating expenses for 2005 will be just under NOK 180 million.
