A total of 61,435 shares by seven listed companies were traded on the Yangon Stock Exchange (YSX) in January 2022, with an estimated value of K282 million, according to the monthly report of the YSX. At present, shares of seven listed companies — First Myanmar Investment (FMI), Myanmar Thilawa SEZ Holdings (MTSH), Myanmar Citizens Bank (MCB), First Private Bank (FPB), TMH Telecom Public Co. Ltd (TMH), the Ever Flow River Group Public Co., Ltd (EFR) and Amata Holding Public Co., Ltd. (AMATA) were traded in the equity market. The share prices per unit slightly fell to K8,000 for FMI, K2,950 for MTSH, K8,000 for MCB, K19,500 for FPB, K2,650 for TMH, K2,850 for EFR and K5,400 for AMATA, respectively, in January.
People like to keep emergency savings and purchase the safe-haven asset gold and hard currency, rather than make investments amid the COVID-19 crisis and political changes. Regardless of the collapse of the stock markets worldwide, the local equities market has been able to continue operating without stopping trading. Additionally, YSX launched a pre-listing board (PLB) on 28 September 2020 to provide unlisted public companies with fund-raising opportunities and build a bridge toward listing on YSX. With a view to achieving a better understanding of legal aspects and registration criteria of Myanmar public companies, a free webinar for PLB is scheduled to be held in February 2022, according to the YSX Quarterly E-Newsletter.
Next, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Myanmar (SECM) has allowed foreigners to invest in the local equity market since 20 March 2020. Only K4.63 billion valued 887,969 shares by seven listed companies were traded on the exchange in 2021, showing a significant drop of 63 per cent as against 2020, according to the annual report released by the exchange. In 2020, K12.6 billion worth of 1.87 million shares by six listed companies were traded on YSX, whereas over 2.4 million shares from five listed companies, valued at K13.39 billion, were traded on the exchange in 2019. The YSX was launched four years ago to improve the private business sector. It disseminates rules and regulations regarding the stock exchange and knowledge of share trading through stock investment webinars and training courses.
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar