New step in Warsaw’s stock exchange privatization

Poland's Ministry of Treasure has made another step  to privatize Warsaw’s stock exchange (GPW) by short-listing four exchanges, Deutsche Boerse, LSE, Nasdaq-OMX and NYSE-Euronext, to conduct due diligence on the Polish Stock Exchange.

The Treasury wants to sell a stake of between 51 per cent and 73.82 per cent in the Exchange, which itself has played a key role since 1989 in the privatization of post- Communist state companies. This move will allow to rise additional 12 billion zlotys (2.6 billion Euro) to fill the budget gap and will allow Warsaw’s stock exchange to grow further, as the development was slowed down by investor’s lack of trust towards public owner of the Exchange.

Members of the Warsaw Stock Exchange will also be invited to make offers for stakes of between 0.5 and 10 per cent in the exchange. State will also stay a shareholder with 10 to 25 per cent shares in hands.
This privatization is a sign of a larger trend of stock exchange market consolidation that started couple of years ago with formation of NYSE-Euronext.