Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE)
Candlefocus EditorThe Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) is the largest stock exchange in Central and Eastern Europe. Established in 1991, it has helped to drive much of the economic growth of the region following the fall of the communist regime. As of April 2021, there were 432 companies listed on the exchange’s main and parallel markets. It operates both a financial market and a commodities market. The financial market includes equities, interests and fixed-income instruments that are denominated in Polish zloty (PLN) or in foreign currencies, whereas the commodities market focuses on trading in agricultural products and energy.
Traditionally, the Warsaw Stock Exchange has been a vital pillar of the Polish economy, providing a platform for local companies to raise capital from both domestic and international investors. It also provides small and medium-sized enterprises with an alternative source for other financial services, such as hedging, financing and structuring. The WSE is widely supported by foreign investors, including large institutional investors, who heavily invest in Polish equities and debt instruments. The exchange is regulated by the Minister of Finance and the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF).
The WSE was the world’s first stock exchange to offer a full range of trading and settlement services in foreign currencies and to be fully computerised. This makes it an attractive choice for investors from across the globe. Investors can take advantage of the electronic trading platform and low-cost execution prices. Additionally, the WSE runs a derivatives market for some products, notably commodities and fuels. It also offers investor protection in the form of settlement guarantees and supervision, as well as investor education and research services for investors.
For domestic investors, the Warsaw Stock Exchange has been a source of wealth generation. Generally, the market performance of the exchange has been a reflection of the Polish economy and its development. While political and economic conditions can cause occasional volatility, the WSE remains a vibrant and Liquid with investors trading billions of PLN of securities every day.
In summary, the Warsaw Stock Exchange serves as a key platform for companies to access local capital and for international investors to invest in Polish securities. With the full computerisation of the exchange and regulations that protect investors and the market, the WSE is an attractive choice for investors looking to get exposure to Polish securities. The exchange has proven to be a major source of wealth generation for domestic investors and a reliable avenue for international investors to tap into the growing Polish economy.