Taiwan: Insurers and other entities encouraged to trade ETFs
Source: Asia Insurance Review | Nov 2016
Taiwan Index Plus Corp, a 100% subsidiary of the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE), aims to boost the trading of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including among insurers.
Mr Li Chi-hsien, Chairman of Taiwan Index Plus, said that Taiwan Index Plus will team up with the TWSE, to provide indices related to corporate governance and other corporate social responsibilities, such as environmental protection. He said that the indices would show the strength of many large-cap stocks with sound fundamentals and attract investors to put their funds into ETFs.
In addition, the Financial Supervisory Commission, the top financial regulator in Taiwan, has eased rules governing risk-based capital ratios to allow local insurance companies to have more disposable funds to invest in stocks as well as ETFs. Taking advantage of the government’s push for ETF development, several asset management firms in Taiwan, such as Cathay Securities Investment Trust and Yuanta Securities Investment Trust, have issued ETFs to track the FTSE TWSE Taiwan 50 Index, and each of the ETFs are worth more than NT$80 billion (US$2.55 billion).