HKEX H1 Profit Surges 24% to Record High, Eyes Extended Trading Hours
HK01 · 3 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX, stock code 0388) reported first-half net profit of HK$105.68 billion, marking a 24% year-on-year increase with both revenue and profit reaching historic half-year highs. The exchange raised its interim dividend by nearly 24% to HK$7.43 per share, driven by record trading volumes across spot, derivatives, and commodities markets. CEO Agnis Chan outlined future plans to build a multi-asset ecosystem while exploring extended trading hours, starting with the derivatives market.
Key Points
- HKEX first-half revenue and other income reached HK$167.02 billion, up 19% year-on-year, while EBITDA margin expanded 2 percentage points to 81%
- Spot market average daily turnover surged 18% year-on-year to HK$283 billion, derivatives contracts rose 6% to 1.8 million daily lots, both half-year records
- Stock Connect northbound trading averaged RMB$3.453 trillion daily, more than double last year's level; southbound turnover grew 11% to HK$1.231 trillion
- IPO market boomed with 87 new listings raising HK$212.4 billion, a 94% increase, including AI, tech, media, telecom, consumer, biotech, mining, and new energy companies
- Approximately 10 overseas companies are in the listing pipeline, with CEO Agnis Chan emphasizing market inclusivity and diversity over sheer IPO numbers
Why It Matters
The record half-year performance underscores Hong Kong's resilience as a global financial hub amid geopolitical uncertainty, as international capital seeks exposure to China's innovative economy . HKEX's strategic push toward a multi-asset ecosystem and potential trading hour extensions could significantly enhance market accessibility for investors across time zones, particularly in the Americas .
The record half-year performance underscores Hong Kong's resilience as a global financial hub amid geopolitical uncertainty, as international capital seeks exposure to China's innovative economy . HKEX's strategic push toward a multi-asset ecosystem and potential trading hour extensions could significantly enhance market accessibility for investors across time zones, particularly in the Americas .