Related Stock Codes

Equity issuers and agents acting on their behalf should use the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field if the issuer wishes to make a joint announcement with another issuer. Issuers and their agents should also use the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field to input the stock code of a subsidiary or parent listed company if the announcement relates to both entities. In this circumstance, issuers must ensure that its “Related Stock Code List” has been updated before using the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field.

In the case of an issuer which is adopting multiple counter trading (for example, the HKD-RMB dual counter model), it must include the stock code of the multiple counter(s).

Issuers of debt securities, ETPs or structured products and their agents must always use the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field to indicate which of its listed debt or products are relevant to the announcement. If no “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” is inputted, the announcement will be published on the HKEXnews website without a stock name. However, it is not necessary for a structured product issuer and its agent to input the stock code(s) of any underlying stock of its structured product into the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field.

If an announcement is published on the HKEXnews website without a stock code, it is still possible to find that announcement by searching on the date (or date range) of its release, by searching on the headline category or by a content search of the announcement.

The “Related Stock Code List” is a list of stock codes maintained by listed issuers in ESS for their related listed issuers and listed securities. This list is introduced for validation purpose when a listed issuer or its agent submits documents that may relate to another listed issuers and/or its relevant listed securities so as to help listed issuers (except for debt and structured product issuers) and their agents to minimize the risk of input error in the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field. When the stock codes entered in the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field do not match with those in the “Related Stock Code List”, the submission cannot proceed until correction is made to the stock code either in the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field or the “Related Stock Code List”, where appropriate.

An issuer’s “Related Stock Code List” can only be viewed and edited by its Administrator. Instruction on how to maintain the “Related Stock Code List” can be found in the User Manual for Authorised Person, Administrator, Security Officer and DI Users.

No. The “Related Stock Code List” will only be applicable to equity issuers and Exchange Traded Products issuers. For the avoidance of doubt, the “Related Stock Code List” will not be applicable to debt and structured product issuers.

No. Only one of the issuers needs to submit the announcement for publication. The issuer that makes the announcement (Issuer A) shall input the stock code of the other issuer (Issuer B) as a “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” when the submission details are entered into ESS.

However, if the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field is not completed, each issuer must separately submit the announcement for publication.

Yes. An issuer must receive consent, preferably in writing, from another issuer before inputting its stock code into the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field. Evidence supporting this consent must be made available to the HKEX upon request.

An equity issuer should update the “Related Stock Code List” before the issuer or its agent can use the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field for making a joint announcement with another listed issuer. This also applies to making a general announcement in relation to other related listed securities by an equity or Exchange Traded Products issuer.

ESS will not process the submission if the stock code entered into the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field does not match with those in the “Related Stock Code List”. Issuers have to correct the code either in the “Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field or to update the “Related Stock Code List”, where appropriate. If you are an agent acting on behalf of issuers, you should first check whether the inputted stock code is correct. If it is a correct stock code, you should contact the issuer immediately for the issuer’s Administrator to update the “Related Stock Code List” accordingly. If issuer’s Administrator does not update the “Related Stock Code List” in a timely manner, each issuer of the joint announcement must submit for publication separately.

It is the issuer’s responsibility to ensure that details inputted into ESS for publication on the HKEXnews website are complete and accurate. Although updates to the “Related Stock Code List” will become effective immediately when the list is successfully saved, issuers should have proper procedures to allow its Administrator to review and update the “Related Stock Code List” in a timely manner.

Yes. By clicking the “Add” button next to the Stock Code of Related Issuer(s)” field on the submission details page, you can add up to 30 related stock codes in each submission. If you are structured product issuers, you can add up to 50 related stock codes in each submission.