(Communicated by the Ministry of Economy Media Advisor)
Senior marketing and other managers from the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) are visiting Israel this week aiming to meet Israeli companies and to raise the stock exchange's profile, as well as to scout for companies with the potential to be listed there.
The Singapore Stock Exchange raises the interest mainly of local investors as well as companies and individuals from South East Asia with capital invested in the country. The SGX competes with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which recently merged with the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Approximately 40% of companies traded on the SGX are foreign, about half are from China and half from the rest of the world. The SGX invests significant efforts scouting out attractive companies and diversifying IPOs from local companies, which focus mainly on real estate, the chemical and energy industries and retail. Both investors and the government aspire to expand the range of industries in which they invest, and as a result Israeli companies stand a real chance of being listed on the SGX.
The Singapore Stock Exchange is suited to companies active in South East Asia and is on the lookout for companies specializing in specific fields (medical equipment, robotics, retail, chemicals and defense technologies), with an existing or potential relation to Asia and which are active or plan to begin activity in South East Asia in the near future.
Two Israeli companies are currently traded on the SGX. The first is Sarine, a diamond-cutting company, which listed a decade ago and is trading successfully. The second is Sela Capital, which raised half a billion dollars 18 months ago and which deals in real estate properties in Europe.
According to the Foreign Trade Administration in the Israel Ministry of Economy, trade between Israel and Singapore stands at $1.6 billion per annum, divided approximately equally between exports and imports. Singapore is Israel's most significant trade partner in Southeast Asia.
The Foreign Trade Administration is the authority responsible for promoting the export and international trade policies of Israel. It operates through 41 trade missions around the world, which help Israeli exporters find business opportunities and avenues for cooperation in the markets where the missions operate