RCI estimates at least five listings in 2008

"Countries in the region have more than 30 listings. If we estimate at least 5 listings next year, we hope that the number of listings will increase by 2009, so that we will become an attractive market in the region," said Dana Mirela Ionescu.

RCI is preparing two new listings for 2008, after running the Initial Public Offering (IPO) for the Transgaz natural gas company this fall, which was the only operation of its kind on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) in 2007. The brokerage firm will bring the Teraplast terra-cotta tiles manufacturer and the Adeplast construction material producer to the stock exchange.

"The market needs new merchandise in order to develop," according to RCI's General Manager. IFB Finwest is another financial mediator who announced it is negotiating listing contracts, indicating that it is targeting four IPOs, whose value exceeds €20 million.

RCI is market leader on the brokerage mediation segment. The company was a part of the consortium that ran the largest IPO to that date on the Romanian market in 2006, namely that of the Transelectrica electricity transmission operator.