Taiwan, mainland to allow mutual stock trading

Taiwan and mainland China are planning to permit trading of each others’ shares for the first time, Bloomberg reported. Schive Chi, chairman of the Taiwan Stock Exchange, said that as many as 30 stocks from each market may be tradable. Taiwan is also trying to draw as many as 37 Taiwan-owned companies listed in Hong Kong back to its exchange, Chi said. At present, investors are restricted from directly investing in each others’ equities. An agreement on the dual-listing of exchange-traded funds is also expected this year, Chi said. The two economies agreed to double weekly flights and lift restrictions on investments in banks. China Mobile became the first state-owned company to invest directly in Taiwan on April 29, sending the Taiex index up 17%. Monika Yang of Hamon Asset Management in Hong Kong believes investors on both sides of the strait will be interested: “Chinese investors will want to diversify their investment and this is a good way for Taiwan investors to buy Chinese shares,” she said. In related news, new measures will be added to the free-trade pact between Hong Kong and the mainland to allow mainland vistors to Hong Kong to also visit Taiwan under a single permit, the South China Morning Post reported.