MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG – THE Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is reveling in the rating as one of the best-regulated stock exchanges by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

According to the WEF’s Global Competitiveness Index 2016/2017 edition, South Africa remains the top country in the world in which to attain financing through the local equity market.

The latest Index ranks South Africa first out of 138 countries.

WEF also places South Africa in first place with regards to the protection of minority shareholders’ interests’, improving even further from the strong 3rd place ranking the country received last year. South Africa also remains in first place for its strength of auditing and reporting standards.

“The JSE’s is proud of the consistent high ranking its regulations have received and that we have helped to create an environment in which companies can use the equity market to raise capital easily and efficiently. The ability to raise capital is crucial to enable companies to expand and therefore for the overall growth of the economy,” says John Burke: Director of Issuer Regulation at the JSE.

Burke says South Africa has proven time and again that our well-developed and solid institutions are one of our biggest strengths.

He says the credibility they help to create is what assures international investors that they can trade in a secure and transparent environment in the South African financial market.

“The JSE has worked hard to help build and sustain this environment through our regulations and attention to the protection of investors,” says Burke.
– Guardian