News
March on the Warsaw Stock Exchange
In March 2004, all the WSE indices, with the exception of the NIF index, advanced. The MIDWIG index showed the largest rise.
Monthly index movements Year-to-date
WIG20 1.9% 12.0%
MIDWIG 8.5% 33.7%
WIG 2.4% 14.6%
TECHWIG 2.8% 20.5%
NIF -0.1% 20.2%
WIRR 5.9% 44.9%
Out of all listed stocks, 125 showed positive rates of return.
Stocks with the highest return in March 2004
Company Price on 27.02.04 Price on 31.03.04 Change (%)
TUP 0.70 1.43 104.3
LDASA 0.24 0.45 87.5
TONSIL 0.64 1.18 84.4
Cash market turnover amounted to 11 523 million zloty and was 29% higher than in February. On the futures market turnover totalled 15 840 million zloty and was 37.7% higher than in the previous month.
Turnover (million zloty)
Stocks (excluding block trades) 11 064
Bonds (excluding block trades) 378
MiniWIG20 1.3
Futures
Value (based on contracts value) 15 834
Volume (no. of contracts) 450 606
Options
Value (based on premium) 5.0
Volume (no. of contracts) 7 847
On March 1, 2004, investment certificates issued by KB Kapital Plus Fundusz Inwestycyjny Mieszany (mixed investment fund) were quoted for the first time on the Exchange.
On March 2, 2004, allotment certificates concerning Betacom stock (series E) debuted on the Exchange. Betacom has been operating since 1995. The company’s main lines of business are integration of IT systems, e-learning, development of security and data archiving systems and supply of computer hardware and software.
As of March 8, 2004, changes to price variation limits became effective. The limits (relative to the reference price) are now set at 10% for shares (previously 15%) and 3 percentage points for bonds (previously 5).
At close of trading on March 8, 2004, three of the WSE indices reached all-time highs:
MIDWIG at 1 655.40
WIG at 24 243.21
WIRR at 4 109.63
Due to a name change from “Pekpol” to “Arksteel”, as from March 10, 2004, shares in this company are quoted under the new abbreviated name “ARKSTEEL” and new ticker symbol “ASL”.
On March 10, 2004, 5-year T-bonds with a fixed interest rate and maturing on March 1, 2009 (abbreviated name SP0309) were quoted on the Exchange for the first time.
On March 12, 2004, bearer bonds (series A19) issued by Bank Przemysłowo-Handlowy PBK S.A. with a nominal value of PLN 100 per bond debuted on the Exchange (abbreviated name “BPHOB0105”).
Between March 16 and 23, 2004, subscription rights for series G shares in Getin Holding were traded on the Exchange.
On March 18, 2004, allotment certificates concerning ordinary bearer shares (series E) in Betacom were traded for the last time, and on March 19, 2004, Betacom shares were traded for the first time. Shares from series A, B, C, D and E were introduced to trading on the parallel market.
In March 2004, the following listed companies introduced shares to trading on the Exchange: Boryszew, Farmacol, Brok-Strzelec, DZ BANK Polska and Computerland.
Changes in the WSE indices
Following the trading session on March 2, 2004, Plastbox shares were added to the WIRR and WIG-PL index portfolios.
Following the trading session on March 19, 2004, a quarterly revision of the TechWIG index portfolio took place. As a result, ATMGrupa, IBSystem and Szeptel were added to the portfolio; thus the number of companies included in the index rose from 21 to 24.
Following the trading session on March 19, 2004, an annual revision of the WIG20 and MIDWIG index portfolios took place. As a result, BACA and Cersanit replaced Bank Millennium and ComArch in the WIG20 index.
In the MIDWIG portfolio, BACA, Cersanit, Krosno and Okocim were replaced with the stock of Bank Millennium, ComArch, Szeptel and Grajewo.
Following the session on March 19, 2004, a quarterly revision of the WIG, WIRR, WIG-PL and WIG sectoral sub-indices was also carried out.
The following companies’ shares were included in the indices:
- the WIG index: Interia.pl, Kable, Krakchem, MCI, Mostostal Export, Pepees, Relpol, Strzelec, Talex, Tras Tychy, Vistula and Wilbo.
- the WIG-PL index: Kable, Krakchem, MCI, Pepees, Projprzem, Swarzędz, Szeptel, Tras Tychy, Vistula and ZREW.
- the WIRR: Beefsan, Ekodrob, FON, Instal Kraków and 7BULLS.
At the same time, BICK, Budopol, Elkop, Ferrum, Hydrobudowa, Instal, Nafta, Oborniki and Pekabex were excluded from the WIRR index.
As of March 22, 2004, the WIG index portfolio includes the shares of 97 companies, while the WIG-PL comprises 101 companies and the WIRR includes 60 companies.
Along with the WIG portfolio revision, relevant changes were made to the WIG sectoral sub-indices.
Following the trading session on March 23, 2004, the WIG, WIG-INFO and WIG-PL portfolios were expanded by the inclusion of Betacom shares.
On March 4-5, 2004, the Warsaw Stock Exchange along with CDM PEKAO SA Securities and its foreign partner UniCredit Banca Mobiliare (UBM) organised a conference in London called “Poland Converging. Joining the EU.” The conference presented information on the Polish economy and capital markets on the eve of EU entry.