Hong Kong-based investment management firm Enhanced Investment Products Limited (EIP) will list its XIE Shares Thailand (SET50) Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on February 16, 2012.
XIE Shares Thailand (SET50) ETF (ticker: 3069) is designed to track performance of the SET50 net total return index, a widely-recognized Thai stock index calculated by The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).
Pakorn Peetathawatchai, SET Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, said: “The ETF launched by EIP is a good opportunity for institutional and retail investors in Hong Kong to become familiarized with the Thai stock index through the Hong Kong bourse. In the latest ranking of Financial Stability Index by World Economic Forum, it ranked Hong Kong as the world’s top financial center, so we believe this ETF is a gateway to bring foreign investors further into Thai shares further.”
Tobias Bland, CEO of EIP, adds: “We have developed this product from concept to market over the past two years. The focus has been to allow simple access to the Asian Emerging markets, both long and short. Having worked at Jardine Fleming for nine years, I realised the potential in the Asia Emerging Markets and the frustration investors have felt with accessing them. The XIE Share ETFs will allow investors to trade seamlessly on the stock exchange in Hong Kong, without having the extra work to check foreign restrictions on F/X, market hours and other idiosyncratic differences in these markets. Investors need to make asset allocation decisions without being biased by the expense of the transaction; XIE Shares allows them to do this. We look forward to seeing the funds trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.”
Enhanced Investment Products Limited (EIP) was established in 2002, mainly focusing on the Asia-Pacific region. It has recently launched seven new ETF products under the brand name XIE Shares which closely correspond to the performance of seven Asia emerging markets. XIE Shares Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand will be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on February 16, 2012 and XIE Shares India, Indonesia, and Philippines will be listed on the Hong Kong bourse on February 21, 2012.
Thailand’s stock exchange supports the launches of ETFs tracking Thai stock indices in overseas markets, as this is a good opportunity to boost recognition of Thai stock indices. SET is also committed to encouraging ETFs abroad to list in the Thai bourse as well.