TEHRAN – The head of Iran’s Securities and Exchange Organization (SEO) has said that the capital of the companies active in the stock market increased by 5.0 quadrillion rials (about $10 billion) in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19).

According to Majid Eshqi, the capital of listed companies increased from 15 quadrillion rials (about $30 billion) two years ago to 20 quadrillion rials (about $40 billion) in the previous year, IRNA reported.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Economy Ministry’s Production Financing Facilitation Center in Tehran on Tuesday, he expressed hope that by formulating the necessary guidelines and setting up the institutions that are seen in the production financing law, the government will be able to address the issue of capital formation, which is one of the serious challenges of the economy.”

Back in June, Iranian Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Ehsan Khandouzi said financing through the stock market in Iran increased by 100 percent in the previous Iranian calendar year.

According to Khandouzi, the stock market supplied 500 billion rials (about $1.0 million) of capital for funding various projects in the previous year, while the figure was 250 billion rials (about $500,000) a year earlier.

Eshqi had said in June 2023 that attracting capital for the companies active in the stock market is a priority of the organization which is being seriously pursued.

“Funding through the capital market should be facilitated and achieved in a short period of time,” Eshqi stressed.

According to the SEO head, development of IT infrastructure is also considered one of the priorities of the stock exchange organization.

“We will have serious improvements in the transaction system and follow-up processes,” he noted.

Later in January 2024, the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) stressed the need for diverse financing tools in the country, noting that such tools are currently being provided by the stock market.

“To reduce the speculative and profit-seeking activities of dealers in the country, financing tools should be diversified,” Mohammad Shirijian said.

“The capital market is an institution that directs capital to production in an efficient manner. Now, to accelerate the process of resource transfer and high productivity, the financing should be directed to the enterprises,” the official explained.

Shirijian called on the government and the parliament to pay more attention to the stock market, saying: “If the government and parliament pay more attention to the capital market, we will see the withdrawal of resources from non-productive markets and the reduction of the bubble in other parallel markets (such as currency, coins, gold, housing, and cars).”

Regarding the important ways to secure financial resources in the stock market, Shirijian said: “Sukuk bonds and investment funds are among the most important financing tools of the capital market because they are designed based on the needs and risk-taking levels of enterprises and individuals.”

According to the official, the capital market could be very suitable for long-term financing of construction projects and with proper implementation; such funding will lead to sustainable economic growth and development.

EF/MA