"Markets need new and large-scale initial public offerings of shares to set the capital markets in motion. If the authorities sell their interest in companies, we can expect strategic and financial investors to improve the efficiency and transparency of those companies and consequently their value," said Tomislav Bajic, a representative of the InterCapital Securities company.
According to him. Croatian pension funds are managing some 10 billion euros, open-end funds have stabilised and citizens keep a major part of their money in deposits, and there is great potential for that money to spill over to the capital market, he said.
Saso Stanovnik of the Alta Invest company said that a rise of 5% in Slovenia's exports showed that Slovenia'companies were competitive.
This year’s conference was described by Ivana Gazic, President of the Management Board of the Zagreb Stock Exchange, as the most successful one to date, "as the interest of investors in meetings with participating listed companies rose by 25% compared to last year. Moreover, the number of participating international investors is also much higher than last year."
Seven Slovenian and six Croatian listed companies participated in the event: Atlantic Grupa, Intereuropa, Gorenje, Hrvatski Telekom, Krka, Luka Koper, Luka Rijeka, Petrol, Podravka, Pozavarovalnica Sava, Tankerska Next Generation, Zavarovalnica Triglav and Valamar Riviera.
The event was attended by 28 investment companies and banks and 55 analysts and investors from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Estonia, the USA, Croatia and Slovenia.