Cambodian market attracts foreign investors

 South Korean and Cambodian officials, including Kim Bong-soo (front left), chief of the Korea Exchange, and Cambodian Finance Minister Keat Chhon (second left) toll a bell during the opening ceremony of the Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX) last week. 

By Rasmei Kampuchea Daily

The Nation

April 23, 2012 

Cambodia's first securities issue, an offering of shares in Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority, has attracted considerable interest among foreign investors, market sources said. 

Svay Hay, director of Acleda Securities Plc, a unit of Acleda Bank Plc which was transfer agent for the issue, said foreigners accounted for around a third of the subscription in the primary market. He said these investors were mainly from China, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Europe.

Foreigners may be attracted to the Cambodian market because of its openness, he said. Under local market rules, only 20 per cent of shares issued have to be allocated to domestic investors with foreigners allowed to take up to 80 per cent.

Once source, who asked not to be named, said foreigners bought at least 50 per cent of the shares that changed hands yesterday, the first day of trading at the Cambodia Securities Exchange with turnover of 8.2 billion riel (US$63 million).

Ghanty Sam, a finance professor, said Cambodia needed more local investors to promote market stability, noting that foreigners can quickly withdraw their funds from Cambodia.

"It’s better that we have more Cambodian investors who are long-term investors," he said, adding that local awareness of the market needed to be raised to attract domestic interest.

Underwritten by South Korea’s Tong Yang Securities Cambodia) Plc, the Phnom Penh Water issue was equivalent to 15 per cent of the utility’s capital. The remaining 85 per cent is held by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.