By Patrick Gill
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“Both IPOs and secondary placements will be possible. We see huge potential interest” Gennady Margolit, Micex |
Russia’s stock exchanges hope to attract more small companies to list by establishing special platforms for innovative and rapidly growing companies. Already being dubbed Russia’s answer to London’s Alternative Investment Market, the new platforms on the Russian Trading System (RTS) and Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange (Micex) will cater to companies that are too small to meet requirements for listings on those exchanges’ main markets. The initiative is the latest of the Russian regulatory bodies’ attempts to persuade more companies to list in Russia rather than abroad.
The justice ministry must now approve a regulation proposed by the Federal Service on Financial Markets (FSFM) on introducing the necessary legislative changes. If approval is given by the end of August, the new listings procedures could be in place by the autumn, according to exchange officials.
Gennady Margolit, deputy director of Micex, the rouble-denominated exchange, says his bourse is already in talks with a number of companies that have shown an interest in being the first to participate in the project.