Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE): Overview & Key Information

The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) is one of the three stock exchanges in the People’s Republic of China. The other two are the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The Shanghai-based stock exchange was established as a non-profit group in 1990 and is not fully open to foreign investors and is heavily regulated by Chinese authorities, particularly the China Securities Regulatory Commission. Even so, foreign investors can acquire B shares listed in the exchange. The trading of A shares are usually restricted to domestic investors. In 2009, the exchange was named as one of the world’s top exchanges because of the sheer volume of shares traded there.

Trading Hours

The exchange trades mainly stocks and bonds. It is open from Mondays to Fridays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., and 1 to 3 p.m. The market is closed during holidays.

Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite

The exchange plays a major role in the economy of mainland China primarily because of the large number of listed shares and the trading volume that happens on a daily basis. The SSE Composite, or more commonly known as the Shanghai Composite, is an index used to gauge the overall market performance of the exchange. Both the SSE 50 and SSE 180 are composed of the listed shares of the top companies with the largest market capitalization.