Samsung Securities, 4 others selected as best primary dealers by gov`t

SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Securities Co., South Korea's top brokerage,
and four other financial institutions were chosen as the best primary dealers for
state bonds by the finance ministry on Friday, the government said.
The Ministry of Strategy and Finance said the four are JP Morgan, BNP Paribas,
Korea Investment & Securities Co. and Woori Investment & Securities Co.
The selection came after a ministry assessment of primary dealers' achievements
in underwriting government bonds and creating the initial market during the
second half of 2009.
A primary dealer is a pre-approved bank, broker or other financial institution
that is able to make business deals such as underwriting new government debt.
Total number of primary dealers designated by the government to handle state
bonds here is 20, comprising eight banks and 12 brokerages as of Friday.
The government said earlier it plans to sell 77.7 trillion won (US$67.3 billion)
worth of Treasuries this year.
jia@yna.co.kr
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