Romania’s largest electricity distribution group Electrica will be included in the MSCI Frontier Markets Index, starting November 25, 2014, according to an official announcement of MSCI group, one of the leading stock indexes providers in the world.

Electrica was listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange in July this year, after a EUR 444 million initial public offer (IPO), the largest ever in Romania. The company is also listed on the London Stock Exchange, via global depository receipts (GDRs). Electrica currently has a market capitalization of EUR 942 million.

The MSCI Frontier Markets Index is followed by investment funds with more than USD 12 billion in assets under management. Four Romanian companies are already included in the index: Banca Transilvania, OMV Petrom, Romgaz and BRD.

Romanian companies are also included in other MSCI indices for Frontier Markets, such as MSCI Frontier Markets IMI, which includes also small caps, and MSCI Frontier Markets 100, which includes a selection of MSCI Frontier Markets IMI companies.

MSCI Frontier Markets IMI currently has includes 7 Romanian companies, of which the 4 included in the standard index and other 3 small caps: Nuclearelectrica (SNN), Transelectrica (TEL) and Transgaz (TGN).

MSCI Frontier Markets 100 Index also includes 5 Romanian companies, of which the 4 included in the standard index and one small cap: Banca Transilvania (TLV), OMV Petrom (SNP), Romgaz (SNG), BRD - Groupe Societe Generale (BRD) and Transgaz (TGN). The total weight held by the Romanian companies in the index on November 6, 2014 was 2.90%. In November 2013, Romania was represented by only 3 companies in the index, with a weight of 1.15%.

Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) aims to be promoted to emerging market status in the following years, which would bring it more visibility and would make it interesting for a larger category of investment funds.

Andrei Chirileasa, andrei@romania-insider.com