The local giant aspires to become a regional powerhouse

The Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) is in the lead in the number of new flotations in Central Europe, data from the Federation of European Securities Exchanges (FESE) shows. The 38 debuts on the Warsaw bourse last year came to more than twice as many as those held in Vienna, Prague, Budapest and Ljubljana combined. Among all of the European members of FESE, the WSE took fifth place in terms of new flotations, the European leader being London, where the two bourses LSE and AIM together saw 576 debuts. The total number of new companies to enter European bourses was 942, with December the most intense month for flotations. Some 140 took place in the last month of the year. 

In 2007 the WSE expects 60 debuts. So far this year five companies new to the WSE have been floated, with the first issue of a foreign company this year coming on January 29 by Warimpex Finanz & Beteiligungs AG, a company which is also listed on the Vienna bourse.

Last week saw the WSE reach its highest level ever. On Friday, the blue-chip WIG20 index reached its highest value in history of 3,549.33 points, beating the previous record - reached only last Wednesday - of 3,483.04 points. The overall WIG index reached over 55,000 points.

"An important factor in the development [of the WSE] is the growth in the investment-fund market, as well as in the number of private investors," said the president of the WSE, Ludwik Sobolewski. In his view, apart from the number of debuts, it is necessary to increase the bourse's turnover and cash flow, and to attract more foreign investors. He added that the WSE's participation in the bid for Slovenia's bourse serves to promote the Warsaw bourse.

"We offer very good conditions for investing, but few people from abroad know about it," stated Sobolewski.