Post-crash, one corner of China's stockmarket still thrives

Hong Kong

THREE months after China's US$5 trillion stockmarket crash, the fallout from unprecedented state intervention is visible almost everywhere you look.

The country's stock index futures market is a shadow of its former self, with volumes shrinking more than 99 per cent after authorities blamed the contracts for exacerbating the rout. Equity trading has dropped 46 per cent after policymakers restricted computer-driven strategies and banned stock sales by major shareholders. Regulatory curbs on short- selling, meanwhile, have contributed to a 71 per cent tumble in the bearish wagers.

Yet in one corner of the Chinese stock market untouched by the clampdown, business is booming. Options, introduced in China just nine months ago, are now thriving as traders use the derivatives as a substitute for futures and short sales. The number of outstanding contracts on the China 50 exchange-traded fund (ETF) - …