Shanghai Stock Exchange relaxes restrictions on option trading

[SHANGHAI] The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) said on Friday it would relax some restrictions on option trading, as regulators move to unwind some measures imposed during a stock market rout last year.

The SSE said on its website a daily position-opening quota of the SSE 50 ETF option will only apply to call options starting next Monday, in effect loosing current restrictions.

Currently, the quota applies to both call and put options. The SSE 50 ETF is the only option product currently trading on the exchange.

This is a reversal of a policy changes announced last September. At the time, regulators were scrambling to limit derivative trading in an effort to stem the market's slide.

But the China Financial Futures Exchange said on Thursday media reports suggesting the exchange planned to loosen trading restrictions on index futures trading were not factual.

REUTERS