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The Securities and Futures (Reduction of Levy) Order 2006 (the Order), which provides for a 20% reduction of the levy payable in respect of any trading in securities, futures or options contracts, was published in the Government Gazette today (June 16).
A Government spokesman said the proposed levy reduction would reduce the transaction cost to be borne by investors and thus be conducive to the development of Hong Kong's securities and futures markets.
In his 2006-07 Budget delivered on February 22, 2006, the Financial Secretary announced the proposal to reduce the levy on trading in securities, futures and options contracts by 20% within this year.
According to the Securities and Futures Ordinance, if during a financial year of the Securities and Futures Commission, the reserves of the commission after deducting depreciation and all provisions are more than twice its estimated operating expenses for the financial year; and that the commission has no outstanding borrowings, the commission shall consult the Financial Secretary with a view to recommending to the Chief Executive-in-Council that the rate or amount of a levy be reduced under the Ordinance.
Given the substantial increase in turnover in the past two years, the commission has accumulated a sizable amount of reserves.
As at end-March 2006, the commission's reserves were $1.21 billion, which amounted to 2.39 times its approved operating expenditure for the 2005-06 financial year.
The proposed levy reduction is estimated to reduce the transaction cost to the market by about $88 million a year. The proposed scale of reduction is considered reasonable having regard to the need to enable the commission to continue to maintain a healthy financial position.
Under the Order, the levy payable by a seller or a purchaser in respect of the consideration for a sale and purchase of securities, pilot programme securities, and an exchange traded fund will be reduced from the current rate of 0.005% to 0.004%. The levy payable in respect of the consideration for a sale and purchase of a futures contract will be reduced from the current amount of $1.00 to $0.80, while the levy payable in respect of the consideration for a sale and purchase of a Mini-Hang Seng Index Futures Contract, a Mini-Hang Seng Index Options Contract, a stock futures contract or an option on such a contract will be reduced from the current amount of $0.20 to $0.16.
The Order will be tabled at the Legislative Council (Legco) for negative vetting on June 21, 2006. Subject to Legco's negative vetting, the Order will be effective from December 1 this year.
Ends/Friday, June 16, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:03
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