FEAS Yearbook FEAS Yearbook 2013 | Page 76

FEDERATION OF EURO-ASIAN STOCK EXCHANGES ANNUAL REPORT JUNE 2013 NASDAQ OMX ARMENIA FUTURE OUTLOOK In 2013, NASDAQ OMX Armenia plans to: • continue improving the technical infrastructure of the stock exchange and the central depository; • continue expanding the range of services provided to listed companies and trading members; • provide complex exchange services in financial market; • carry on with efforts to promote initial public offerings of equities in the Armenian market; • continue efforts towards increasing public awareness of the Armenian securities market. CAPITAL MARKET DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC OUTLOOK After several years of double-digit economic growth, Armenia faced a severe economic recession with GDP declining more than 14% in 2009, despite large loans from multilateral institutions. Sharp declines in the construction sector and workers’ remittances, particularly from Russia, led the downturn. The economy began to recover in 2010 with 2.1% growth, and picked up to 4.6% growth in 2011, before slowing to 3.8% in 2012. In 2012 according Doing Business 2013’s recent report Armenia advanced from 50th to 32nd position among 185 countries. According to this report, Armenia improved some of its indicators, in particular, “provision of construction permits” (46th), “electricity supply (101st)”, “protection of investors” (25th), and “taxation” (108th). Also, regress with regard to the following indicators was recorded: “registration of enterprises”, “loans”, “international trade”. Capital Market Developments In 2012 stock market preserved positive growth trend with value traded reaching up to US$ 1.02 mln, almost doubling the previous year’s volumes. Market capitalization as of year end reached US$ 132.1 mln, slightly decreasing over the same of 2011. Corporate bonds market saw 41% reduction in volumes with total value amounting to US$ 1.03 mln. REPO trading also saw 6.6 times reduction of value traded to US$ 929 thsnd. Government bonds market was rather active in 2012 with value traded of US$ 10.4 mln. Structure of government bonds trading also changed this year: 11% fell to the share of trading in short-term government bonds, 24% - in long-term government bonds and 64% - in mid-term government bonds. Value traded in foreign currency market was US$ 752mln, exceeding the previous year’s volumes by 7%. Credit resources market saw value traded of US$ 15.1 mln in 2012. This year average monthly value traded amounted to US$ 1.3 mln, 2.2 times exceeding the same of the previous year. Weighted average rate of credit resources varied within maximum of 11.3% and minimum of 4%. which is quite importaint development in terms of fostering attraction of foreign investments to Armenian capital market. Regional cooperation was also kept in the focus and in October, 2012 the 1st Armenian- Georgian Financial Markets Forum was held in Armenia, attracting 57 officials from over 30 companies, operating in financial sectors of Armenia and Georgia, including representatives of international organizations. The Forum covered recent developments in Armenian and Georgian financial systems, features of each market’s infrastructure and regulatory issues, Armenian pension reform and its expected impact on capital markets. Forum participants also discussed issues and ways of mutual cooperation, noting that financial sectors of both countries should be developed jointly, based on new technological solutions. The expected launch of new second pillar pension system in Armenia in 2014 will boost the activity in the capital market, so the Depository worked closely with the Government of Armenia and the Central Bank of Armenia to create necessary preconditions for introducing the reform and servicing pension accounts and custodian information system. In 2012 range of instruments, offered in Armenian capital market was enhanced to include credit contracts with maturity of 7 days, as well as foreign currency nominated corporate bonds, issued by local companies, Key Information Contacts NASDAQ OMX www.nasdaqomx.com The Central Bank of Armenia www.cba.am The Central Depository of Armenia www.nasdaqomx.am CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Name Ms. Eugenia Evoyan PAGE 74 E-mail [email protected] Website www.nasdaqomx.am