adminin a company’s website and carry broad market information from the stock exchange.
They can be published websites and feature market information from a central database and are updated once the data is available.
Big Law Management chief executive Mr Rob Stangrom said the data widgets cover daily prices, valuations, indices quotes, share price gainers and losers, share price tickers and corporate announcements among others.
“This is convenient, saves time and money for those parties such as stockbrokers, as they do not need to manually prepare and this information anymore,” Mr Stangrom said during a presentation in Harare yesterday.
ZSE acting chief executive Mr Martin Matanda said that the data widgets were yet another step to meet stakeholders needs and keep abreast of worldwide technology advances.
Widgets can be bought for US$1 800 for a year’s supply of market data, but one can choose ZSE widgets for a little as US$20 a month.
Big Law Management has been circulating investor information online in Zimbabwe since 2007 and the country, like many of the last real emerging markets, Zimbabwe’s economy has shown strong growth potential.
The growth potential has generated huge interest in Zimbabwe and investor-related information by investors from around the world, on the economy and ZSE-listed companies, hence the need for more investor information.
“The growth story is real, there is significant amount of investment that is going on at the moment in sub-Saharan Africa, West Africa and East Africa,” he said.
“Because of the high growth in the social media and use of social media as well as mobile growth in African markets there is no better time to communicate the value offering of Zimbabwe.
“Our economy has been emerging and I think it is correct to say to be credible you need to be online, communicating efficiently and in a timely manner,” said Mr Stangrom.
Global stock markets such as the Securities Exchange Commission of the United States have for long recognised the value of the internet and electronic communications in modernising the disclosure system, promoting transparency, efficiency and liquidity in the trading markets work.
“It is not different in Zimbabwe at this point in time, similarly, ongoing technical advances in electronic communication have increased both the market and investors’ demand for more timely companies disclosure,” he said.
He said the internet was key for communicating investor information quickly and cost effectively.
He also said Zimbabwe was at the beginning of changes in the intensity of broad dissemination of market information to market participants.
As such, in Zimbabwe widgets can be used be used by ZSE, brokers, international investors, securities exchanges, asset managers, retail investors and media to protect investors, promote investment and liquidity, promote access to data, promote good governance, brand and reputation.
Widgets are particularly important for companies in which investors have huge interest as well as brokers who need to service their clients by giving the realtime market information on good and preferred investment.
Widgets also enable cost-effective wide distribution of investor information by companies not in the business of preparing investor data.
Online Reporter