Victoria City, Hong Kong
Currency : Hong Kong dollar
Indices : Hang Seng Index
Website : https://www.hkex.com.hk/?sc_lang=en
people
Founded
1891
analytics
No. of listings
2,597
trending
Market cap
HK$ 5.43 trillion
History
Securities trading in Hong Kong dates back to 1866, with the formal establishment of the Association of Stockbrokers in Hong Kong in 1891 marking the inception of the city’s first stock market. Renamed The Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1914, the region operated four stock exchanges by 1972, prompting calls for the creation of a unified exchange. The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the Exchange) was incorporated in 1980, and trading commenced on April 2, 1986. Since then, several significant developments have occurred, including the 1987 market crash, which exposed market flaws and led to calls for comprehensive reform in the Hong Kong securities industry.
In June 1992, the Exchange introduced the Central Clearing and Settlement System (CCASS), followed by the launch of the Automatic Order Matching and Execution System (AMS) in November 1993. As part of a reform plan announced in March 1999, the Exchange, along with the Hong Kong Futures Exchange and their clearing houses, would merge to form a new holding company, named the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited. The new holding company eventually sought a listing on the Exchange.
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEx) is situated in Hong Kong and ranks as Asia’s third-largest stock exchange based on market capitalization, following the Tokyo Stock Exchange and Shanghai Stock Exchange. Globally, it stands as the sixth-largest, trailing behind Euronext. As of November 30, 2013, the HKEx boasted 1,615 listed companies. Among these, 776 originated from mainland China, 737 from Hong Kong, and 102 from various foreign locations such as Cambodia, Italy, Kazakhstan, and others.
As of the end of 2023, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEx) hosts 2,597 listed companies, collectively commanding a market capitalization of S$5.43 trillion. Recognized as the fastest-growing stock exchange in Asia, it has surpassed the Chicago-based CME in terms of market capitalization. Notably, the physical trading floor at Exchange Square was closed in October 2017.