Stock brokerages would be allowed to conduct margin trading under a proposed regulation currently being drafted by the State Securities Commission, although margins would be limited to a ratio of 30:70.

Brokerages would be able to loan up to 30 per cent of the value of the trade, while the investor would be required to front the remaining 70 per cent.

Margin trading services are already provided informally by many brokerages, noted Au Viet Securities Co deputy director Le Anh Thi, but the proposed regulations would create a legal framework needed to protect both investors and securities firms.

However, the 30:70 ratio was lower than was usual on stock markets in other countries, Thi said.

“This demonstrates the cautious administrative position of the authorities,” Thi said. “This rate may be appropriate in the current context of a prolonged market downtrend, but in the long run, it should be increased to 50:50.”

HCM City Securities Co general director Johan Nyven told the Securities Investment newspaper that securities companies would have more products to provide investors once margin trading was implemented, but the ratio of 30:70 was not attractive.

Pham Hong Son, head of the State Securities Commission’s fund management divison, said that margin trading was well-developed in markets worldwide and that common lending ratios ranged from 35-50 per cent.

However, to ensure the sound and sustainable development of the stock market, each market needed to determine its own appropriate levels, Son said.

He noted that brokerges would also have to comply with financial adequacy requirements before offering margin trades.

Tan Viet Securities Co general director Nguyen Van Dung agreed that the lower ratio proposed for Viet Nam arose from the concerns of administrative agencies that excessive trading leverage was a double-edged sword.

“When the market goes up, margin trading brings many positives elements because it improves liquidity,” Dung said. “But when the market enters a downtrend, it puts great pressure on the investors who use it.”

Le Dat Chi, head of the financial investment faculty of the HCM City Economics University, said the State Securities Commission should only set a minimum deposit investors would have to put up and then allow brokerages to determine suitable risks and ratios.

“It’s hard to set a fixed rate applicable to all cases,” said Chi. “I think the commission should require securities companies to submit a risk management plan when they provide this product and regularly check its implementation.”

Under the draft, the initial deposit amount would be set at no less than VND20 million (US$952) and the subsequent deposit ratio (in cash or securities) would have to be maintained at 20 per cent or more of the market value of the stock holdings held as collateral.

Source: VNS