The Chief Executive Officer of the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE), Mr. Mazen Wathaifi, said that the trading value at the ASE increased during 2021 reaching JD2.0 billion; an increase of 87.2%, compared with JD1.0 billion for the year 2020. The number of traded shares reached 1.5 billion shares, traded through 818 thousand transactions, compared with 1.1 billion shares traded during 2020 through 421 thousand transactions.
The ASE price index weighted by free float shares ASE100 increased to reach 2118.6 point at the end of 2021, compared with 1657.2 point by the end of 2020; an increase of 27.8%, This percentage represents the highest annual gains achieved by the ASE since 2005. In addition, the ASE price index weighted by free float shares ASE20 increased to reach 1074.4 point at the end of 2021, compared with 806.5 point by the end of 2020; an increase of 33.2%. The market capitalization of listed shares at the ASE increased to JD15.5 billion; an increase of 20.0% compared with the market capitalization of listed shares at the end of 2020. Thus, the market capitalization of listed shares at the ASE for 2021 constituted 49.9% of the GDP.
Mr. Wathaifi added that the improvement of the stock market’s performance indicators for this year was supported by the improvement of the listed companies’ performance indicators in terms of achieving a significant increase in their profits, which reached 412.7% for the first half of year 2021 compared to the first half of year 2020, an increase of 285.4% in profits of listed companies for the third quarter of 2021 compared to the last year, in addition to the emergence of recovery indicators in the national economy and the improvement of its performance. The most important of which is the increase in the exports by 16%, and recording positive growth rates which reached 3.2% for the second quarter of this year compared to a negative growth rate last year of 1.6%, as well as the increase in foreign currency reserves and Jordanian remittances abroad. In addition, the national capital market is now enjoying a regulatory and legislative infrastructure in accordance with the latest international standards and best practices in terms of disclosure, transparency, financial services and electronic systems, referring to Amman Stock Exchange and Jordan Securities Commission and in order to enhance the technical infrastructure in the market and digital transformation, they launched the Electronic Disclosure System XBRL which provides the necessary information to investors in both Arabic and English languages. Also the ASE launched the new trading system “Optiq” In March 2021 which was developed by Euronext, and it is implemented in the largest European stock exchanges, in addition to the launching of new features for mobile applications which enable investors to follow the trading live and direct and follow all information related to companies and their disclosures, in addition to reports, statistics and circulars issued by the ASE.
Mr. Wathaifi said that next year, God willing, will witness more implementation of projects aim to improve the investment climate and enhance the attractiveness of the stock market and listed companies to local and foreign investments.