Over the last year 203 companies were listed for trading on WSE.

The Warsaw Stock Exchange is more attractive for the companies from Central and Eastern Europe because in the London market it is likely that they would remain unnoticed due to their small size. This is what Cezary Pieczkowski, Head of Investment Banking at UniCredit Poland, said at the conference “The Future of the Capital Market”, organised by the Bulgarian newspaper The Capital. In addition, according to him, the Warsaw Stock Exchange is visible enough for foreign investors.

The Warsaw Stock Exchange is in the first place in Europe in terms of the number of initial public offerings, last year that number being 203, or that is by 69% more than in the previous year. In 2011, the IPOs were worth EUR 2.2 billion. The number of foreign companies listed on the WSE is growing. To date there are 46 companies with total market capitalization of EUR 55 billion. The largest number is that of Ukrainian companies – 11; followed by the Czech with 7 companies. The Bulgarian companies traded on the WSE are currently 3. Out of the total 46 foreign companies, 21 are double-listed.

“The very good macroeconomic environment and the high number of investors are some of the factors that make the Warsaw capital market so attractive”, also commented Cezary Pieczkowski. In Poland, there are 14 pension funds with EUR 57 billion worth assets under management.

To the end of March 2012, the Warsaw Stock Exchange remains the largest capital market in Central and Eastern Europe with market capitalization of EUR 125 billion. Second is the Vienna Stock Exchange with EUR 74 billion worth market evaluation, and third is the stock exchange in Prague with EUR 31 billion. The assets of the Polish mutual funds as a percentage from the GDP have increased from 1% in 2000 up to 8.1% in 2011, reaching EUR 26 billion. The assets of the pension funds in terms of percentage from the GDP have increased from 1.3% in 2000 up to 15.9% in 2011, reaching EUR 51 billion.

More information for media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity & Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova, Phone: + 359 2 9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch