BEIJING, March 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Xinhua FTSE Index (XFI), the independent China index company, announced today that it would add Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (Ping An of China) (A Share, 601318) to its index series, following the company’s listing at the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The company will join a number of indexes, including Xinhua/FTSE China A50, Xinhua FTSE 200 and Xinhua FTSE Insurance Investment Index when China markets open on Thursday 8 March 2007. Headquartered in Shenzhen, Ping An of China is China’s second largest insurer and 19.9 percent owned by HSBC Holdings Plc.
(Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/200611140926.gif )
The stock is added as a fast entry to the index (i.e., it does not need to wait until the regular quarterly review) as XFI Ground Rules allow for sufficiently large stocks to be added 5 trading days after listing. This rule is in place to ensure that the index remains an up to date and accurate reflection of the market it measures, and allows investors to use the index as a tracking and analysis tool with confidence and precision.
Ping An of China (A) will join the following indices with total shares in issue of 4,786,409,636 and an investability weighting of 20%:
Xinhua/FTSE China A50, Xinhua FTSE 200, Xinhua FTSE 200 Style, Xinhua
FTSE 400, Xinhua FTSE 600, Xinhua FTSE 600 Style Index, Xinhua FTSE All-
Share and Xinhua FTSE Insurance Investment Index.
For balance detail, please refer to the tech notice here: http://www.ftse.com/xinhua/Indices/Domestic_Investors/Index_Changes.jsp
Commenting on the addition of Ping An of China to the Xinhua FTSE Index Series, Norman Yen, Managing Director of Xinhua FTSE said, “This fast entry represents our capability, efficiency and continued commitment to keep international and domestic investors abreast with the increasingly dynamic market. It is a testament to our consistent and transparent efforts to serve these investors with the most valuable investment tools in the China market.”
More information about the Xinhua FTSE Index Series is available at http://www.xinhuaftse.com .
Notes to Editors
About Xinhua FTSE Index
Established in late 2000, Xinhua FTSE Index (XFI), a joint venture between Xinhua Finance Limited and FTSE, came into being to facilitate the creation of real-time indices for the Chinese market. The indices can be used as a basis for the trading of derivatives, index-tracking funds, Exchange Traded Funds and as performance benchmarks. The combination of FTSE’s expertise in international indexing with Xinhua Finance’s strong presence and capabilities in China creates a level of expertise in the Chinese market that is unprecedented. Providing the combined coverage for the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, all of the FTSE/Xinhua indices are designed according to internationally proven index methodology to ensure products are transparent, clear and consistent. For daily data and further information, please visit http://www.ftsexinhua.com .
About FTSE Group
FTSE Group is a world-leader in the creation and management of indexes. With offices in Beijing, London, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Madrid, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Shanghai and Tokyo, FTSE Group services clients in 77 countries worldwide. It calculates and manages the FTSE Global Equity Index Series, which includes world-recognized indexes ranging from the FTSE All-World Index, the FTSE4Good series and the FTSEurofirst Index series, as well as domestic indexes such as the prestigious FTSE 100. The company has collaborative arrangements with the Athens, AMEX, Cyprus, Euronext, Johannesburg London, Madrid, NASDAQ Thailand and Taiwan exchanges, as well as Nomura Securities, Hang Seng and Xinhua Finance of China. FTSE also has a collaborative agreement with Dow Jones Indexes to develop a single sector classification system for global investors.
FTSE indexes are used extensively by investors world-wide for investment analysis, performance measurement, asset allocation, portfolio hedging and for creating a wide range of index tracking funds. Independent committees of senior fund managers, derivatives experts, actuaries and other experienced practitioners review all changes to the indexes to ensure that they are made objectively and without bias. Real-time FTSE indexes are calculated on systems managed by Reuters. Prices and FX rates used are supplied by Reuters.
About Xinhua Finance Limited
Xinhua Finance Limited is China’s unchallenged leader in financial information and media, and is listed on the Mothers board of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (symbol: 9399) (OTC ADRs: XHFNY). Bridging China’s financial markets and the world, Xinhua Finance serves financial institutions, corporations and re-distributors through four focused and complementary service lines: Indices, Ratings, Financial News and Investor Relations. Founded in November 1999, the Company is headquartered in Shanghai with 20 news bureaus and offices in 19 locations across Asia, Australia, North America and Europe. For more information, please visit http://www.xinhuafinance.com .
