The Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX) said yesterday it was making a US$8.3 billion cash and shares takeover offer for the operator of the Australian bourse, aiming to vault from second-tier stock market to leading Asian finance center.
The combined exchange company would be the world’s fifth-largest by market value and rank as the second-largest stock -market in Asia by number of listed companies, the two exchanges said in a joint statement. But by other measures it would still rank behind Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
The deal aims to give both exchanges a better chance of prospering amid increased competition within Asia and as cross-border trading platforms like Chi-X Europe usurp the dominance of established stock exchanges.
The Australian Securities Exchange Ltd (ASX) is set to lose its monopoly on operating a stock market in Australia next year and an affiliate of Chi-X Europe is planning to set up a trading system once the monopoly is abolished. Singapore, meanwhile, has long lagged behind Hong Kong and Tokyo as a regional financial center.
“The capital flow we see today is really changing from West to East,” SGX chief executive Magnus Bocker said at a news conference. “This will be the gateway to Asian capital markets.”
The exchange operating company formed from the takeover of ASX would have a market value of US$12.3 billion and be responsible for about 2,700 listed companies.
According to data last month from the World Federation of Exchanges, the combined exchange would list companies worth about US$1.9 trillion, fourth most in Asia behind Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) have a total market capitalization of US$12.3 trillion, the most in the world.
Combined trading volume of the Singaporean and Australian exchanges was worth about US$1 trillion during the first nine months of the year, sixth-most in Asia and far behind global leader NYSE, which has had volume worth US$13.8 trillion in the period from January to last month.
The takeover offer of A$48 per share is 37 percent higher than ASX’s last traded price on Thursday — a day before its shares were halted from trading pending an announcement on the deal.
It comprises A$22 cash plus 3.473 shares in SGX for each share in the Australian stock exchange operator.
ASX shares surged more than 20 percent when trading resumed after the announcement to A$43.49. Shares in SGX fell 5.3 percent to S$9.04.
The companies hope to finalize the deal in the second quarter next year, but will need the approval of regulators in each country including Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board and Treasurer Wayne Swan.
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