The Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) exceeded the threshold of 100,000 investors for the first time in history, currently having 128,000 investors, BVB president Radu Hanga announced on Thursday, at the anniversary event celebrating 140 years since the establishment.
"Where are we now? 370 companies listed on the Stock Exchange, on the main market and total capitalization 150 billion RON and also over 140 listed bond issues on the Alternative Trading System. The total value of Romanian companies, approximately 160 billions RON. It represents about 13.5 percent of Romania's GDP in 2021. Practically, this is the measure of the evolution that the Romanian stock market has seen during the last 26 years. Also, this year we reached for the first time in the history of the Stock Exchange, we exceeded the threshold of 100,000 investors. We are at 128,000 investors. In addition to them, there are, of course, approximately 450,000 people who invest indirectly in the stock market through mutual funds, and I salute my colleagues in the asset management industry in Romania, who are with us and help us in this construction we are doing, and another 7-8 million Romanians who invest through various pension funds," declared Radu Hanga.
He recalled that the Bucharest Stock Exchange was established in 1882 by High Royal Decree issued by King Carol I. In 1914, before the start of the First World War, 63 series of shares and 58 bonds were traded on the Romanian stock exchange. In 1938, Simon Gartenberg, the president of the Association of Official Stock Brokers, published "Shareholder's book, stock market guide". This is the first book about financial education.
As regards the recent history, Hanga mentioned that the first stock market meeting took place in 1995. At that time, 6 companies were listed on the Stock Exchange. At the end of that year, 9 companies were listed, and the capitalization was 26 million lei.AGERPRES