Around a third of the transactions closed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) in the first half of this year were made by 29,000 retail investors, even more than what local investment funds traded, according to a survey made by BVB among local brokers.

The number of individual investors active on the Bucharest Stock Exchange increased by some 8,300 or 40% in the first half of 2014 compared to the first half of 2013. This, however, might be somewhat influenced by changes in reporting by local brokers. Retail investors also increased their share in the total share trading on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, from 25% in the first half of 2013 to 31% in the first half of 2014, according to BVB data.

The activity also included the Electrica IPO in June. Institutional investors had 27% of the market, followed by investors from the EU – 34%. US investors had 6% of the deals.

About two thirds of the trading orders were issued via online platforms. The value of online trading was, however, only 17% of the total trading value on the Bucharest Stock Exchange in the first half.

The total value of share trading on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, in the first half of this year, was EUR 1.6 billion, including the Electrica IPO, 56% higher than in the same period of 2013.

Andrei Chirileasa, andrei@romania-insider.com