Phillip upbeat on options trading

 Suchai Sutusthumkul, managing director of the securities company, said that the company has been prepared for the trading through training courses for potential investors.

 "We have received overwhelming interest," Suchai said, adding that more training courses will be arranged every two months for a year. Each can accommodate 20-25 people. The company's clients with huge orders can also ask for one-on-one training.

 Alton Lau, director of Phillip Commodities (HK) Ltd, also noted that the options would widen the market opportunity for individual and institutional investors in hedging against risks. He also believed that Thailand's options trading will enjoy huge orders like in the the US, Europe and other countries in Asia.

 He also said Futures Industry Association's figures showed in the past 2 years worldwide options trading has grown 15 per cent per annum, to 11.859 billion contracts. In Hong Kong, the number of contracts expanded 68 per cent in the period.

 He also noted that if the SET50 Index Options is a success, other products like options on individual stocks or warrants or exchange traded funds (ETFs) could follow.

 "These new instruments will draw new investors. And the liquidity caused by the new instruments will boost the liquidity of existing instruments. New products also indicate further expansion in options exchanges," Lau said.

- The Nation