HONG KONG: Final SFC Hong Kong Short Selling Position Reporting Rules Published Effective 18 June

Friday June 1 2012

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has announced that the Securities and Futures (Short Position Reporting) Rules, except for publication of the aggregated Hong Kong short seling positions data under Rule 6, will come into effect on 18 June 2012.

Market participants must report short positions using an online system developed specifically for this purpose, which will go live on 18 June 2012. A specified form that they must use for the reporting has been posted on the SFC’s website. To assist with compliance, the SFC has released a guidance note explaining how certain aspects of the Rules operate.

To help market participants become familiar with the online reporting system and test their internal systems and procedures, the SFC has made available a pilot testing environment since 7 May 2012.

Short position reporting will better equip the Exchange to effectively monitor short selling activities in the Hong Kong market. As the regime is coming into effect very soon, those affected should be fully prepared for the new requirement and are strongly encouraged to take part in the pilot test. The pilot test will end on 8 June 2012.

The SFC proposes to commence publishing data on aggregated short positions under Rule 6 on 7 September 2012, subject to the legislative process.

Click on the above link for more details