Tehran Stock Exchange Registers Highest Growth in Asian Markets

According to Security and Exchange News Agency, among 100 reviewed indexes, only 27 ended the year with positive returns. 

Latest data by World Federation of Exchanges indicates that by November TSE had a market capitalization of $145.66 billion, registering 72.10% growth year-on-year.   

The review covered 10 indexes from Africa, 33 from Asia, 41 from Europe, and 16 from Americas, according to Financial Tribune.

Four African indexes rose 40%, making the continent the best-performing place for stock markets worldwide. 

This was followed by Asian indexes which registered 33% positive returns for 10 indexes. Also, the return for five American stock markets stood at 31% by the end of 2018. 

This is while the Europeans recorded their worst performance during this period and only eight closed in the black, making 20% return by the yearend.  

Venezuela’s stock market stood at the top of the world’s best-forming list and rose 127,000 points, repeating the previous year’s record. Given the 1 million percent inflation rate in the crisis-hit country, the figure is no surprise. 

Ukraine’s stock market was ranked the world’s second performer with 78% growth, making it the best-performing European market followed by TSE, which registered 68% growth by the end of 2018.    

Worst-Performing Markets

Data indicates that China's stock market was the worst-performing worldwide. Its two main indexes, i.e. CSI 300 (a combination of Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges ) and Shanghai SE Composite Index lost 26% and 25% of their value in 2018, respectively, making them the first and second worst-performing market in the world. 

The losses came as the trade war between US and China heightened in 2018, although the two countries agreed to decrease the tensions and consequently they declared a 90-day cease-fire at the start of December.   

Dubai’s main index came in third place shrinking by 25% followed by Greece's main index, Athex, with about -23.5 return. 

According to SENA, Japan Nikkei index dropped -15.2% and came as one of the worst-performing markets around the world. Also, London stock exchange index, FTSE 100 fell into negative territory and lost 12% by the end of 2018. 

Additionally, the benchmark French stock market index, CAC, closed 2018 trading days with -8.8% return. 

Also, US’s Nasdaq fell into low-performing market categories and recorded -5.4% return by the end of 2018. 

2-Week Performance   

TSE’s main index, TEDPIX, closed trading week to January 2nd with a positive 2% return compared with a week earlier and gained 2,455 points, reaching 160,899 points. 

About 16,022 million shares valued at $349 million in 836,000 deals changed hands at TSE during the period. The volume and value of the traded shares witnessed 43% and 9% rise compared to the previous trading week. 

First Market Index rose 2,151 points and stood at 118,695 points, up 2% compared with the same period a week earlier.  Second Market Index grew 3,241 points and reached 319,763 points, registering 1% growth over its previous week. 

This is while exchange traded funds recorded negative returns. Close to 150 million ETFs worth 1.5 trillion rials ($14 million) were exchanged at the TSE, registering 15% drop compared with a week earlier. 

Also, 700,000 debt securities and 693 million equity contracts changed hands, worth 742 billion rials ($7 million) and 22 billion rials ($ 207,547), respectively.