The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) will launch Sensex mini derivative contracts from January 1, 2008, in a market lot of five.
“The small size of the contract would be attractive for retail investors as there would be comparatively lower capital outlay, lower trading costs, more precise hedging and flexible trading. It is a step to encourage and enable small investors to mitigate risk and enable easy access to Sensex, through Futures & Options,” stated the BSE in a press release.
The security symbol for Sensex mini contracts will be MSX. The contract is available for one, two and three months along with weekly options. The announcement came in immediately after SEBI allowed trading in mini contracts on index (BSE 30-share Sensex and NSE 50-share Nifty) with a minimum contract size of Rs. 1 lakh.
The SEBI board had proposed to introduce seven new derivative products based on the recommendations made by the SEBI Committee on Derivatives.
